The Anaheim Awakening
by Bella Duveen79
Summary: So how far did Sheldon actually get at the end of Season 7? Contains spoilers for series finale, but what exactly brought him back so soon? Could Amy's new research be the key to reconcile the two of them, and what lies ahead over the next few months?
1. Chapter 1

It had taken far too much chocolate and wine to calm her down last night, Amy reflected groggily that morning, and then remembered why she'd needed it. She'd been angrier than she could have ever imagined being towards Penny to begin with, at a complete loss to understand why she could have let her Sheldon go without a fight. If she'd known what he was up to, she'd have barricaded him in this apartment until he'd admitted what the real problems were, and forced him to face them.

Not long after she'd found out, the rest of the gang had convened at 4A for a crisis meeting, and Penny had eventually persuaded her and Bernadette (who was all for hunting Sheldon down herself and, to quote the small blonde, 'Rippin' em off!') to at least listen to her side of the story. Emily, being less sure of what was going on, had joined them in an effort to help mediate with Penny, and they left the guys to it, causing relief all round. The last thing they needed in this situation was a cohort of angry/bewildered women berating their friend, even if they agreed he shouldn't have done it like this.

'So, the only reason we let him go was to let him work it out for himself,' Penny explained, refilling Amy's glass and taking a large gulp of her own, as if she needed it. 'If we'd tried to stop him he wouldn't have learnt anything.'

Amy drank herself, and looked up to face her. 'OK,' she said after a while. 'But you can see why it hurts – you just got your man and mine takes off…why didn't he tell me?'

'I think…because if he'd told you what he was planning he wouldn't go through with it. And…' Penny continued, noticing Bernadette's and Amy's angry looks, '….he had to. Or he'd never work it out.'

'I still say I'd hunt down Howie's ass and cut 'em off,' muttered Bernadette, 'if he tried to pull that on me!'

'Yeah, OK, I get that,' Penny replied. 'But he has to miss you to work out he wants you. It's weird and makes no sense, but I had to miss Leonard last year to know I wanted him, and I think that's what's going on.'

'So what do I do?' Amy asked, quiet now. 'I don't want to lose him, but maybe I already have, or maybe I should?'

'I think the best thing is to focus on yourself right now,' said Emily. 'You know, Raj took me to this great day spa at the weekend – would you guys like to come sometime?'

'Uh yeah!' exclaimed Penny. 'That is just what this girl needs.'

'And get real busy at work,' added Bernadette. 'If he sees you getting on just fine, he'll miss what he had – and come crawling back…'

It all made sense. Somewhere along the line, Amy had realised, she'd lost herself, and in doing so, lost the girl Sheldon had noticed in the first place. It was time to get her back. She wasn't giving up without a fight, and her brilliant quirkiness would shine again. She believed he loved her, and knew her man well enough to know he'd be back, but it was time for her now. She would be the woman he fell in love with, and if that didn't work, well…at least she would know.

'Oh, and when Moonpie does come back,' Penny had said before the girls left, 'you make him work for it like he's never worked in his life!'

Yeah. That was what happened last night. Amy had a plan of action, and even though it hurt desperately, she resolved to carry it through. There was an interesting new project coming up on unconscious brain activity in REM sleep at UCLA, and she'd been looking forward to going back. Emily was keen to join their social group, and Amy decided to ask her to the BodyWorks exhibition of preserved cadavers on at the Natural History Museum, and she'd received a good report from her time at Caltech. It wasn't the same as having her boyfriend back, but if it was meant to be, he'd be back, and she'd tell him how things were going to be too. The last thing she was expecting was three knocks in quick succession on her door as she made her way to the kitchen, and stopped in shock.

'Amy?' It was him. What was happening now?

With some trepidation, she crossed the room and slowly opened the door.

'You're here? What...?' she managed, trying to stifle the automatic wave of concern as it struck that Sheldon didn't appear to have slept.

'I got as far as Anaheim,' he replied quietly, 'and thought Disney wouldn't be the same without you.'

'What? That's as far as you got?'

'Yeah.' The tall man looked embarrassed, guilty. 'I thought of the day you had there last year, and wanted to come back.'

'OK,' Amy replied, guardedly, yet inwardly processing the concept that Sheldon had thought of her Snow White costume, and it had brought him back. 'I guess you better come in.'

'Thank you.' He sounded contrite, and stood awkwardly in a corner of the room.

'Have you eaten? Slept?'

'No, neither.'

'Well, I've drunk too much, so need some tea. You want some?'

Sheldon nodded, still not looking at her. The last time he'd been in Amy's apartment, he'd behaved shamefully and he knew it. He'd sounded like his father – something he swore he'd never do, especially not with her. He wouldn't be surprised if she never wanted to see him again. Amy brought their tea over and asked him to sit down. They sipped in silence for a while, until Amy asked 'So what happened?'

'I thought leaving would help, and I thought if I told you, you'd stop me.'

'Correct, but I'm talking about what you said to me. Never speak to me like that again, Sheldon Lee Cooper.'

'I won't,' he said, and nervously met her gaze for the first time. 'I didn't mean any of it, but if you want me to go, I'll understand.'

'Go as in leave me?'

'I haven't been making you happy. I should have done, like you make me.'

Amy paused for a moment. 'That's not what I meant. I don't want to leave you, but unless things change, believe me when I say I will.'

Sheldon nodded. 'I know it's not enough, but I'm sorry. For everything. For not being everything you deserve for a while now.'

She paused again. Those pauses were breaking his heart, and he had no-one to blame but himself.

'Proposal,' Amy said after a while. 'This time, I will reset our relationship, back to just before Valentine's Day, and I suggest to you that you are my boyfriend on probation for a four month period, effective immediately. If after such time, it becomes apparent that it is no longer what one, or both, of us want, the termination protocols will be put in place as per the statutes in the Relationship Agreement.'

'Agreed.' Sheldon felt it was more than he deserved, and dreaded to think what his mother and Meemaw would say if they found out how he'd treated his girl. He'd let so many things cloud his thinking regarding Amy recently, and knew it the moment the train had pulled away, taking him from the very person he needed to be with instead. He had a chance – one chance – this summer, before he had to go back to work (but he'd come to that later) to win her back, and the challenge was on. He would not give his girl up without a fight – not now.

'As such,' Amy continued, 'there is to be no physical intimacy between us, as originally stated in the Agreement, until the probationary period is up, should it still be a consideration.' She took Penny's words to heart, and would not make it easy.

Sheldon took a quick intake of breath. That hurt. He'd been enjoying that new aspect of their relationship more than he'd cared to admit, but she had a point. What they had was still fragile, and pushing on either side now would probably break it. Silently, he agreed, and had actually been wondering if Amy had been truly ready anyway. He'd never understood why she hadn't kissed back. Maybe this summer would explain things. He hoped so.

'So,' she asked then. 'What do you plan on doing now?'

'Well…it struck me that you'd always given me good advice in the past…and that I needed your advice more than anything right now.' It was almost an admission – the admission – he wasn't ready for yet and doubted that she'd be ready to hear. He'd never needed anyone like he needed Amy. In spite of herself, Amy smiled. She sometimes thought she knew that man better than he knew himself.

'I try,' she replied. 'How do you propose deciding on a new field of study?'

Sheldon thought for a while. 'Would you come to the University library with me sometime? I could use some help with research, and I can't think of anyone better than you.'

'Sure,' Amy agreed. 'But not right now. I think we both need something to eat and a decent sleep. Leonard will be surprised to see you home.'

'I know. I'll probably come home to find the place covered in bridal magazines.'

'Quite possibly.' She got up with him and walked over to the door. For all that they hadn't been kissing for very long; it still felt strange suddenly not to, especially with all the emotion of the past 24 hours. They looked at each other, as self-conscious as teenagers, and the air felt thick and heavy as they struggled with the emotions they'd just agreed not to show for now.

'Will you call Leonard? He had a late night too. Everyone came round and tried to work out what to do, after you…took off.'

'They did?' Sheldon was surprised. He hadn't thought much about how the rest of their group would take it.

'Yes. I regret to say that it was quite emotional, and they had to deal with Raj who was apparently quite upset at the thought of us breaking up.'

Sheldon hid a smile. Really Rajesh…such a hippie…although it was quite nice to know that they were concerned. The task at hand now, was to make sure they had no reason to be.

'I see. Well, we ought to get some sleep,' he replied then, looking away.

'OK. I'll see you later.' It was very hard not to both hug him and get upset with him again at the same time, but now wasn't the time, in any case. They shared a somewhat awkward smile, and Sheldon left. Amy sank back down, relieved and yet resolved to continue her plan. It was the only way.


	2. Chapter 2

Leonard didn't realise he was back immediately. The events of last night had caused all members of the group to sleep late that morning, and when Leonard found Sheldon curled up on his spot he thought he was still dreaming. When Sheldon sat up, he thought he'd seen a ghost.

'What the hell? Sheldon? What are you doing here? Do you have any idea how worried we've been?'

Sheldon explained what had happened as a dishevelled looking Penny emerged, and subjected him to similar questioning, but with more Nebraskan backwoods language.

'I have the hangover from hell for you!' she yelled. 'I thought you were going to sort stuff out!'

'I will. I just realised that…maybe it was best to stay.' And I missed Amy more than I can say, he thought, attempting to look calm, even haughty, in the face of her interrogation.

'OK, well…I hope you realise you got to apologise big time to Amy,' Penny continued, slightly calmer now.

Sheldon didn't say anything for a moment, and when he did speak, it was in a way she'd only heard once before. It was the way he'd spoken when he admitting to 'working on it' as regards getting 'physical'.

'I know. We've discussed it, and I have agreed to fulfil a probationary period as her boyfriend, which will last for the next four months.'

'So, I guess that means you got to step up, right?' Leonard supplied, just catching Penny nod in recognition.

'Yes, it does.' That simple admission on its own was evidence of a change.

'Well, just to warn you…I'd steer clear of Bernadette for a while.' They talked a while longer, about Sheldon's plans, and laid out their own plans, before he left for his room and the newly engaged couple for Leonard's. The last thought Sheldon had before sleep consumed him again was Amy. She'd looked as dishevelled as Penny, but so much more beautiful. If only he could make her happy again – make them happy again. That should have been his priority all along, and he remembered something she'd said a while back – their relationship wasn't his parents. They could save this…failure wasn't an option.

The following week was a strange one. Amy and Emily went to the exhibition, and she arrived back at UCLA ready to start on her new project, but she and Sheldon didn't actually see each other. It was the first time that had happened in nearly two years, and honestly, she missed him. It had to be done though, she kept reminding herself. It's a means to an end, she told herself, and tried her best to keep busy. The project sounded very interesting though, with a focus on brain wave activity during sleep and conscious decision making correlation. Subjects were being sought from a variety of backgrounds and invited to the University to sleep there with little detectors on their heads, filmed under the gaze of Amy and her team. Scientific curiosity, and genuine concern for her boyfriend, gradually started to mix and formulate a plan in her mind too, as she wondered if Sheldon's subconscious (which she'd always wanted to get to the bottom of) could help in unlocking any insights into his future career. In this mood of contrition, he would surely agree to participate, and hadn't Alex got some similar data on him a while back? That could be useful, but she needed this experiment to correlate it and provide the relevant brain scans and ECG results.

As for Sheldon, he found it very hard to settle at home after Leonard had left for the day – if he'd slept there at all. The best he could think of to do as regards his career was to draft an email to Stephen Hawking a week later and ask if he thought he had a possible future in Cosmology, setting out aspects of his research and education that would be advantageous in the field. Otherwise…he'd emailed Amy, texted her, and bought her the entire series of Planet Earth on Netflix, hoping she'd come round sometime and watch it with him. And now he was in the kitchen, carefully following his Meemaw's recipe for sourdough bread.

She'd certainly been surprised when she got his last message – the third that morning, she thought with a smile. Keep going, she thought to herself, although growing ever more certain that her plan was working, and took care not to appear too keen. This last message read that Sheldon intended to meet her at the University for lunch, and advised her not to buy anything from the cafeteria.

It was a long and complicated process to get from Pasadena to UCLA on public transport, but even so, Sheldon managed to arrive at her lab just after twelve, and she couldn't help but feel her heart leap to see him there, a shy, somewhat nervous smile on his face. It was such an unusual expression for him, usually well covered with confidence, or arrogance, and really quite sweet to see.

'Hello Sheldon,' she greeted him, smiling now. 'That was quite a journey from Pasadena for you.'

'Indeed it was,' he replied, glad of the chance to indulge in some ordinary complaining towards the greater Los Angeles public transportation network before getting into the real reason he was there. 'Do you know I had to take three separate buses to get here today? One of which was extremely busy and its cleanliness was a disgrace!'

'You know, now you have some time, why don't you try driving again?' Amy suggested, coming to sit alongside him.

Sheldon paused for a moment. He'd always considered such a mundane activity beneath him, (and been banned from every driving school in Galveston at 17) but considering that everything else had changed maybe she had a point…

'Well, it would be nice not to be exposed to the various airborne pathogens endemic to bus travel…' he admitted. It would be nice to see you more easily too…

'Well then. I suggest you look into it,' she replied, attempting to sound brisk and business-like, while at the same time hiding the slight blush that had risen in her cheeks when he'd smiled back and how her gaze had lingered on him a little longer than it should.

'Maybe I will,' Sheldon answered, with a flash of his usual confidence that suddenly changed as he reached into his bag to hand her a small box. 'This is for you. I remembered you liked it,' he continued, less sure of himself now. How did she do this? How did this woman manage to make him feel like he was 15 years old?

Amy took the plastic box, and smiled as she opened it. 'You've been baking? Thank you!'

'Didn't want you to put up with possible food contamination,' he managed, finding it hard to hide the heat that rushed up his neck when she caught his eye and looked away quickly.

'So you came all this way?'

'I bought Planet Earth on Netflix too – maybe we could watch it sometime?'

Amy took a bite of the bread. It really was very good, and handed him some. 'That would be nice, but not this week. I've really got to get started on this new data, and Emily's asked us out for a Spa Day.'

'Oh,' Sheldon couldn't hide his disappointment. 'Next week then? Thursday?' He looked so anxious, and she couldn't help but agree.

'OK. Next Thursday,' she smiled, keeping cool, calm and collected, while inwardly overjoyed at how she'd got him chasing her already – Penny would be proud!


	3. Chapter 3

'So how are things going between you and Sheldon?' Penny asked, cream soaking into her skin and lying in a fluffy white dressing gown alongside Amy, who had conceded to have her nails done.

'Yeah, is he making up for it?' asked Bernadette, on the opposite side.

'Actually, it's going pretty well,' Amy replied, staring down at her unusually polished nails. 'He's brought me lunch nearly every day this week – did you know he can bake sourdough bread?'

'No!' laughed Penny. 'Who'd have thought it – they use that kitchen less than I do!'

'That sounds great!' Emily said then, hot stones arranged down her back. 'You know Raj loves to cook!'

'OK, it's a step in the right direction,' Bernadette conceded, under her own face mask.

'And he texts, emails, Skypes and calls me every day…it's like when we first met.'

'OK,' Penny agreed. 'Keep doing what you're doing! I can't believe it's working so well when you don't even have to deny him sex!'

'I'm denying any kind of physical affection!' Amy countered. 'Like I say, it's like when we first met.'

'Ooh,' Bernadette said then. 'That's good! You play that card!'

'Really? You two haven't…' Emily was somewhat taken aback.

'No – complicated story, but I'd rather not go into it now. Suffice it to say, if this experiment does work out, I hope we'll be able to come to it in due course.'

The girls were quiet for a moment, and then Penny spoke again. 'So, Ames, you're still good with being Maid of Honour?'

'Like you have to ask, Bestie!' Amy replied with a welcome burst of her usual enthusiasm. 'How do you feel about a string quartet playing 'The Way You Look Tonight'?'

The wedding plans continued over the next couple of weeks, and Amy threw herself into them , keenly assisted by Raj, who had somehow taken on the role of honorary bridesmaid, and one evening after watching Planet Earth, Amy put a suggestion to Sheldon.

'Sheldon, you recall me mentioning my new project concerning subconscious brain activity?'

'Yes, of course.' He remembered, and remembered to ask, 'And how's it going?'

'Very well.' She noticed, and was impressed. This was progress. 'Actually, I believe you can help with it.'

'Me? How? I don't think I can consider Biology…'

'I wasn't suggesting that you do. I would like you to consider being my test subject.'

Sheldon looked slightly nervous. Unbidden visions of Amy slicing up brains came to mind. 'What would I have to do?'

'My hypothesis rests on the proposal that the subconscious mind produces certain brain activity that, in a conscious state, influences our decisions and aspirations. I believe you investigated this link in a rudimentary fashion some time ago, when you instructed Alex to go through recordings made while you slept?'

'Yes, I thought they would provide some insight into the project needed to secure my Nobel nomination.' He felt inexplicably hot suddenly, in spite of the carefully maintained temperature. Was it normal that listening to smart Amy in professional mode was so enticing?

She caught the look in his eyes, and took a slightly shaky breath before carrying on, and could have sworn she saw his glance flash downwards as her chest moved.

'They may yet, or they may shed light on your current career predicament. As such, I require your sleep to be monitored, and further recordings made, in order to correlate ECG and brain wave activity and any verbalisations of your subconscious that may be noted.'

'Do I have to wear those things on my head?' Sheldon asked, in an attempt to keep his mind on normal concerns.

'Yes, and I also require a live feed to be set up in your bedroom direct to my laptop. In normal circumstances, test subjects sleep at UCLA, but I consider that such disruption to your routine, especially in light of recent events, would prejudice the results.' It was getting quite hard to stay professional now, as all she could think of was that she would be watching him sleeping. The few times she'd seen it before, he'd looked so sweet – like a little boy – but he wasn't. Too early, Fowler, she told herself sharply. You can't give in that easily!

'A camera in my room? Who else will see it?'

'Initially just me, then I'll review the footage with you, and with your consent, other members of my team.'

'Well, I don't know about that…that's like having people in my room…' Sheldon began, and then remembered 'Project Amy', and after a moment, agreed. 'All right.'

'Good – do you know anyone who knows how to fix up a camera?'

'Yes, Wolowitz did a couple of years back in the hall in an attempt to catch Leonard and Penny engaged in pre-coital activity.'

Amy felt her pulse suddenly kick up a gear. That shouldn't have been a sexy comment, but it was. Why had he found it necessary to tell her that?

'Really?' She was thrown slightly. 'OK, then I'll email him the details and we can get it set up!' she finished, suddenly aware that perhaps she ought to go before she broke Sheldon's probation all on her own.

'OK, but there's no way he's being left alone in my room!' It was a concern, but somehow not the most pressing one right now, and as she left, Sheldon was both disappointed and relieved. He'd seen the glow that raced up her neck just then and remembered when he'd seen it before. It struck him that these next few months could be a long time…

'You haven't even thought about a colour scheme?' asked Raj incredulously, as he paused The Chamber of Secrets DVD in shock. The guys had met at his apartment that week for the second instalment in his Harry Potter marathon, and Leonard had been subjected to a barrage of wedding questioning throughout.

'Raj, please, can we just watch the movie? We've got plenty of time to work out all that stuff!'

'Really? And how do you expect me to coordinate the wedding favours with the bridesmaids' dresses?'

'C'mon, this is like being back with the girls!' said Howard, exasperated. 'We had to go through all the dresses on some website with my mother last night…please no.'

'Yeah, let's just watch the movie,' repeated Leonard, and Raj reluctantly started it again. Five minutes later he was struck by another thought.

'So Sheldon, how are things with Amy now?'

Sheldon didn't look up from his phone for a moment. He'd hardly let it out of his sight all evening, alternately texting and checking on average every five minutes.

'Sheldon!'

'What?' He jumped guilty, and looked at Raj.

'How are things with you and Amy?'

'Man, we should have gone on Girls' Night,' muttered Howard. 'Didn't think we'd be having one here.'

Leonard looked at him sympathetically, but then over at Sheldon. He wanted to know too.

'Fine,' Sheldon replied. 'We watched Planet Earth together, and she's asked me to participate in her latest experiment.'

'This isn't anything Star Trek related, right?' asked Leonard doubtfully. ' Cause it could be a bit soon for that.'

'No!' Sheldon replied, vehemently denying it, but not quite managing to hide a blush at the memory of it. 'She's doing research into unconscious decision making during sleep, and monitoring me to see if it helps with my career problems.'

'Oh, OK,' Leonard replied. 'That's good.'

'So, you're going to be hooked up to some machine while you're sleeping?' Raj asked. 'What, does it show your dreams or something?'

'According to Amy, brain wave activity, hormone levels and vocalisation during REM sleep can all influence unconscious thought, so yes, I will, but in my own home, thankfully. Not in the lab.'

'Wow…not sure I'd want Bernie to see all my dreams,' Howard replied, looking somewhat shifty.

'As if there'd be anything like that!' Sheldon answered indignantly, and the other guys were rather surprised that he'd both caught on to what Howard meant and was admitting to it. 'My dreams will be focused on Science, and getting back on track to the Nobel, OK?'

A couple of days later, with the camera fixed in place as required, Amy had returned to begin her experiment. It was late when she arrived, and Sheldon was ready for bed when he let her in.

'Good evening Amy,' he said, feeling surprisingly vulnerable to be with her so late, like this. He felt more vulnerable still as he contemplated taking her to his room in a matter of minutes to set the equipment up – which was ridiculous. It was an experiment, nothing else. Was it?

'Good evening Sheldon,' she replied, an involuntary blush staining her cheeks and heat burning up her neck. He looked so attractive, and staying professional could prove harder than she had expected. She had to though, those were the rules they'd agreed to, and she was here to do a job. Nothing more than that.

'So…we're gonna set this up now?' he asked, inexplicably shy and nervous all of a sudden.

'Yes.' She took a deep breath. 'I have the monitors here, so I'll need to attach them before you go to bed. Shall we proceed, Dr Cooper?'

His already elevated pulse quickened further as she used his formal title and he led her to his room. Was that in the rules? OK, two could play that game…

'I do hope this experiment produces conclusive results, Dr Fowler,' he said then, lying back against his pillows and fixing her with the most challenging look he could manage, under the circumstances. 'I'd hate to think this disruption to my routine would be wasted.'

'Well, that remains to be seen,' she replied, picking up the sensors and trying to hide a certain shake in her hands as she placed them on Sheldon's forehead, lightly brushing her fingertips across his skin and through his hair. 'Although I am one of the leading neuroscientists on the West Coast, I'm sure you would agree.'

Hearing Amy as confident as he often was made Sheldon's heart race further and a weird, hot feeling twist inside him, starting in his stomach and racing down...his breathing had quickened too, feeling her hands on him, his skin, his hair. He had to focus – this was Science! The fact that they were alone in his room at night with really very little between them was not the point…

Amy smoothed the last of the sensors down, somewhat unnecessarily stroking behind his ear in the process, and felt her own breathing shake in response.

'OK,' she managed. 'You're done. The sensors are hooked up to this laptop, which will produce a graph based on electrical impulses from your brain, and this camera,' she moved to switch it on, 'will capture any relevant comments your subconscious may make.'

She got up to leave, but not before Sheldon stopped her. 'Amy? I do hope this works.'

Turning back, she smiled gently. 'Me too.' She paused for a moment. 'Well, goodnight Sheldon. Sleep well, or as well as you can.'

'Goodnight Amy. Feels weird not to be saying that in a text.' They looked at one another shyly for a moment, and then Sheldon said, 'You know, you don't have to go…Leonard practically lives at Penny's now…you could take his room, and I might need your help if anything goes wrong in the night…'

Amy hesitated. It was tempting – very tempting. But…was it in the rules? 'Umm, Sheldon, thank you, but…not…right now. Maybe later.'

'Oh.' Sheldon looked crushed. 'OK. Next time though? Please?'

In spite of herself, Amy smiled. She couldn't resist when he said 'Please' like that, and remembered the flower incident some months ago. And maybe it wouldn't hurt if she stayed just once…but not tonight. Make him want it, a voice in her head said, that sounded much like Penny. Make him work for it.

'OK, maybe next time. Goodnight Sheldon,' she replied with a little smile.

'Goodnight Amy,' he said, catching her eye as she got up, and smiling in response. He heard her let herself out, and sighed heavily, leaning deeply into the pillows. It was three months now…he had to pass…seriously. He didn't know Amy had collapsed onto the first stair outside the apartment door and sat there for a good few minutes attempting to regulate her own emotions and hormones, before setting out into the night.


	4. Chapter 4

_Sheldon hated giving lectures. If only universities didn't have to have students. As ever, they'd stared blankly back at him when not buried behind their laptops, no doubt writing nasty Tweets about him and the subject he was trying to implant in their thick heads, and it came as a relief when it ended for all concerned. He stood back, shutting his own computer down and watched them leave, all too gratefully, and was just about to leave himself when he saw a young woman who'd stayed behind. Amy – although, this Amy didn't seem to know him. He looked up again, and suddenly she was standing at the lectern in front of him, dressed in a short sleeved blouse, tie, a little checked skirt and long white socks._

'_If you missed anything,' he said dismissively, 'it's all on the University Intranet. Now, if you'll excuse me...'_

'_Oh, I didn't miss anything, Dr Cooper,' this Amy said, looking up at him. 'In fact, I wondered if you could tell me more. Quantum Mechanics,' she paused, and her blouse seemed to strain slightly as she took a breath, 'is fascinating.'_

'_Then you are of a rare intellect, sadly lacking in your peers,' Sheldon replied. 'Where should I begin?'_

'_Tell me…everything…' she murmured, moving around to sit on the shelf usually reserved for notes and laptops. Her skirt rode up slightly as she slowly crossed one bare knee over the other, and she leaned back on her hands, arms behind her back, chest out._

'_Very well. Quantum Mechanics is a branch of physics which deals with physical phenomena at nanoscopic scales where the action is on the order of the Planck constant. It departs from classical mechanics primarily at the quantum realm of atomic and subatomic length scales…'_

'_Really, Dr Cooper?' Amy breathed, excitedly. 'That's…amazing…' Slowly she reached up, and worked the knot on her tie loose, before pulling it over her head and dropping it to the floor._

_Sheldon watched it fall to the floor, captivated, '….and in advanced topics of quantum mechanics, some of these behaviours are macroscopic and emerge at only extreme energies or temperatures…'_

'_Oh, yes, Dr Cooper, don't stop!' she cried, unbuttoning her blouse while keeping her eyes fixed on him._

'_In contrast, the angular momentum of an unbound electron is not quantized. In the context of quantum mechanics, the wave–particle duality of energy and matter and the uncertainty principle provide a unified view of the behaviour of photons, electrons, and other atomic-scale objects…' he managed, before she tore the blouse off her shoulders and sat before him in a leopard print bra, and suddenly all else was forgotten as she pulled him onto her lap, pressing herself hard up again the lectern on one side and him on the other, devouring him in an urgent, aggressive kiss…_

It was the stickiness that woke him. That and being pressed face first into his mattress. Breathing hard, Sheldon didn't know where he was for a moment. He'd been at work, and then Amy had been there wanting to know about Quantum Mechanics…and…oh. This was going to be tricky. He wouldn't be able to change the sheets with that camera on, or his pyjamas with all those sensors on his head…he'd just have to take the pyjamas off…and surely, the camera wouldn't show what he'd been dreaming of – would it?

'Oh, Amy,' he thought uncomfortably. 'This is all for you…For you, and because of you…' Half naked now, and wriggled over to one side in a way he hadn't done since he was a teenager and couldn't get away with a shower at two in the morning, he attempted to go back to sleep, and prayed that Vixen would leave him in peace.

Chapter 6

Other than coming to collect her equipment and unhook Sheldon the following day, Amy proved quite elusive the following week, and it was driving Sheldon mad. Had she seen anything incriminating from that night? And why couldn't he see her? As it was, the study was taking up an increasing amount of her time, and she'd even been asked to join an inter-faculty bowling team. It wasn't until the gang reconvened on Sunday evening that he had the chance to see her, and was a weird mix of hot, nervous and excited from the moment she sat down alongside him with her Kung Po Chicken.

'So Ames, how's the new experiment going?' Penny asked over her noodles. 'You know, I've got this great book on dream interpretation that might help, or there's this website where you can post your dreams and a genuine Romany gypsy tells you what it means for your future!'

'Thanks Bestie, but self-styled members of the travelling community and popular psychology don't cut much ice in the world of neuroscience.' Amy replied. 'Brain waves on the other hand, never lie!'

'So are you coming to Girls' Night on Friday?' Bernadette asked, taking a sip of her wine.

'I'd like to, but no. I've been asked to participate in UCLA's inter-faculty bowling competition that night, representing the Biology Department against a rag-tag of opponents making up various disciplines in the Liberal Arts.'

'Oh, Amy, no contest!' cried Sheldon then. 'Scientists up against a bunch of patchouli smelling, bead wearing Gender Theorists and Literary Critics…you'll kick those hippies' butts!'

'I know!' she grinned.

'Do you bowl much Amy?' asked Howard then. 'Don't think you've ever been with us?'

'No, actually, it's my first time. My mother never let me go when kids from school were going. She said hanging around bowling alleys was the first step to teenage pregnancy.'

'What, you've never been?' Sheldon couldn't quite believe it. 'Really Amy, we ought to practice!'

'Oh yeah, it's been a while since we got the Wii Bowling out!' added Leonard. 'You could use that.'

'So, can you bowl?' Amy asked Sheldon then. There was a slight groan from Howard and Raj.

'Can I bowl?' Sheldon replied, a cocky look in his eyes. She loved that look. 'Well, as team captain of the East Texas Christian Youth Holy Rollers, I think I'm well placed to give you some tips.'

'Agreed,' she smiled. 'But could we make that another night? It's rather late, and I need to correlate some more data before work tomorrow.'

'Sure. How about tomorrow?'

'Tomorrow I'm going to Raj's Pilates class with him and Emily,' Amy said, nodding over at them.

'Oh. Tuesday?'

'Tuesday is a faculty meeting.' The girls shared glances. They knew exactly what Amy was doing.

'What about Wednesday? We still haven't found a reasonable replacement for the Comic Book Store in a five mile radius?'

'Oh, yeah, I was gonna tell you that…' began Leonard, but one glance from Sheldon was enough to cut him off.

'Wednesday…I start a Korean class at the YMCA Adult Education Centre.' That had been an inspired find. Amy loved languages, to the point of creating her own. Working with Dr Mee on her new project had prompted her to investigate her colleague's language and culture further.

'Korean? Wow.' Penny was speechless. 'Tenth grade Spanish was hard enough.'

'Really?' In spite of wanting desperately to see her, Sheldon was impressed. Less commonly spoken languages were just as interesting to him, and he wondered if she'd like to collaborate on a Finnish-Korean phrase book at some point. 'That's fascinating!'

'Yes, I'm looking forward to it!'

'So…Thursday?' Sheldon knew how he sounded to everyone by now, but really didn't care as long as he pinned her down for one date next week.

She paused for a moment before answering, just catching an approving look in Bernadette's eye. 'Thursday would be fine. We can do your next REM study then too.'


	5. Chapter 5

The following morning, Amy was actually with Dr Mee, looking over the results from her first experiment with Sheldon.

'Oh, this is interesting,' Dr Mee said then, pointing out something on his graph. 'You see this spike right here? It appears at the same time as this jump in heart rate here.'

'Yes. So we can deduce from that that the subject's subconscious was somehow stimulated at this point?'

'Yes. I need you to go over the footage and see if there are any verbal or physical indications of the subject's thought process at the time of this spike…could you do that please?'

'Sure,' Amy replied, trying to hide her pleasure at watching Sheldon sleep. 'No problem.'

Later that day, Amy sat down to view her data. In the grey, Infra-Red light, she could see Sheldon as mainly a mound of covers, but she could still make out his head, and, just about, his face. She watched somewhat dreamily for a moment, before snapping herself out of it and moving on to the timestamp shown on the graph. Now, he was twisting and turning quite noticeably. She hoped he wasn't prone to the night terrors that she was. Being hooked up to weird machinery could set them off…and then the movement changed to a repeated back and forward motion, and she couldn't see his face, which was presumably buried under covers or into his pillow. She turned up the sound, and amongst the rustling, caught a few words, 'Quantum Mechanics…rare intellect…oh…yeah…'

Well, she thought then, I guess Quantum Mechanics is a possibility, and true to form, he's pretty confident in it! I'll let him know the results on Thursday.

By the time Amy arrived for her bowling practice/next stage of the REM experiment on Thursday, Sheldon had been quite busy. He'd created a file on his tablet detailing the various branches of Physics he'd ever had an interest in, and tables setting out the pros and cons of each one, and how they related to his experience in and understanding of String Theory. Quantum Loop Gravity was out though – no way would he do anything that was approved by Leslie Winkle, or increase the risk of working with her in future. He'd also been reading up on some Cosmology research – it did sound like an interesting field to go into, and working with Stephen Hawking was a real possibility.

'Good evening Amy!' he said happily as he let her in. It had been a hot day, and she wasn't wearing her tights, and no extra layer under her blouse. Her summer skirts seemed to be slightly shorter and lighter too. None of this was lost on Sheldon, who couldn't help but glance up and down at her usually hidden smooth legs (her introduction to waxing had had some benefits), and her rarely exposed neckline. She looked beautiful – she wasn't walking around half naked, like so many women in LA during the summer months, but there was just enough to catch his eye…as if she didn't anyway.

'Hello Sheldon,' she answered with a smile, inwardly aware of the intensity of his gaze, and trying hard to control the rush of emotion that came with it. She wanted to kiss him – really wanted to kiss him – but couldn't. Not yet…soon…two and half months to go. She kept smiling as he turned towards the kitchen, her eyes on the open necked, pale blue shirt, inexplicably bearing his name in the top left hand corner. Where had that shirt come from?

'I've got the Wii Bowling set up,' Sheldon said, busying himself getting her a cup of tea in an attempt to stop staring at the pretty brunette in front of him. 'I think I'll be able to help you with a few things.'

'I'm sure you will,' Amy replied, and sat down. Sheldon brought her tea and sat next to her.

'Can I show you this too?' he asked, opening the file on his tablet. 'These are some of the ideas I've had…Cosmology looks fascinating!'

Amy looked over at his findings. 'It does, and it would be a good match with your previous research interests and experience, but it surprises me too.'

'Oh? Why?'

'I got the results from your first EEG back today. They seemed to indicate a spike in activity here…'she said, showing Sheldon the graph. He reddened suddenly, and Amy gave him a puzzled look, '…and then you mentioned Quantum Mechanics. You sounded pretty confident in it too!' she finished with pride. She loved his intelligence more than she could say.

'Did I? Well…there's no doubt it's a consideration…was there anything else?' Sheldon asked, somewhat embarrassed.

'Have you ever been prone to night terrors? I speak as a sufferer myself, as you know. Around the time of this spike in activity, you appeared to be moving far more, as if agitated.'

'No, not really…but sleeping under such conditions may have disturbed me…' Yes. That sounded plausible.

'True,' Amy conceded. 'What's really interesting is the presence of both Theta waves, here, that are generally associated with a dream state and emotional stimuli, and Gamma waves, that correlate with will, extreme focus and energy. Some even describe them as indicative of an ecstatic state. Can you remember dreaming that night?'

Sheldon didn't answer immediately. To lie would probably be not only obvious, but he would be prejudicing another Scientist's research…what could he say?

'I…did dream about Quantum Mechanics,' he admitted, 'and had to give a dreadful lecture to sub-par students. That's probably what it was.'

'Interesting. The results indicate your brain was highly stimulated at this point – maybe tonight's experiment will shed some light on it.'

'Yes, maybe,' Sheldon said then, suddenly getting up to switch on the console in an attempt to distract Amy from going any deeper in her analysis. He straightened up then, and turned to her. 'Oh, I've got something for you.'

'Really? You don't give gifts,' she replied, puzzled.

'Ah, but this will help,' Sheldon said, racing off to his room and returning with a neatly folded pink shirt bearing her name in the top left hand corner. 'When bowling, it's important to dress the part,' he explained, surprisingly serious.

'Is that what you're wearing? A bowling shirt?'

'Yes. We all had them made some time ago, and I think it improved everyone's game immensely, so…I had one made for you too. I had to extrapolate as regards your size, going on my mother's and sister's, so I hope it fits.' He looked at her intently, hoping she'd accept his gift.

Amy's face broke into a lovely, warm smile that, had he conceded to use the term, gave Sheldon the sensation known as butterflies in his stomach. He'd tried to deny it for so long, but he'd completely, irrevocably fallen in love, and longer ago than he cared to admit, even now. And he'd nearly screwed it up in a stupid panic. If he passed, he'd never leave her again. He couldn't promise he'd always be easy to live with – he knew he wasn't – but he'd never forget her again.

'Cool!' exclaimed Amy brightly. It had to be her geeky boyfriend's love of quality, authentic costumes coming out…anyway, it was sweet. 'Not only am I going bowling, I've got a bowling shirt to do it!'

'I got it done at the same place that did your 'Council of Ladies' shirts,' Sheldon explained, somewhat giddy at how happy she looked. 'Do you like it?'

'I love it! I'm gonna go put it on!' With that, she made for the bathroom, leaving Sheldon far happier than he'd been for quite some time.

He still had her 'Council of Ladies' shirt, actually. He'd got rid of Penny's and Bernadette's when they hadn't been able to provide any useful advice on that occasion, but kept hers. It was folded away neatly in a drawer in his room, along with a folder containing printouts of various emails she'd sent him and papers she'd written, a hair grip that had fallen off on the couch one evening, Ferdinand T Flag, the receipt for her tiara and the Relationship Agreement itself. He told himself at the time that he was only keeping the receipt in case it didn't fit or was faulty, but still couldn't get rid of it or anything else – not even ticket stubs from the cinema or the zoo, or the flyer for the Brian Greene lecture. When he'd started collecting this stuff, he couldn't have explained why he had it; it just felt like he needed to. Now though, he knew, even if he wasn't ready to admit it.

'So what do you think?' Amy asked proudly, emerging from the bathroom and doing a little twirl. She made Sheldon's breath catch as he got a sudden all round flash of her body, dainty little breasts encased in the shirt he'd chosen for her. She looked so good in pink.

For a moment, he couldn't say anything, then managed, 'You…it looks…very nice…my spatial awareness is obviously accurate.'

'Obviously,' she agreed, coming back to sit next to him. 'It's a talent we share. I helped Leonard out with such reasoning before once…'

'Yes, well, we really ought to get going,' Sheldon said then, somewhat abruptly. He didn't want to remember that evening or what he'd thought his friend had got up to. 'Now, come and stand over here, and take this controller.'

She did as she was asked, looking at the simulated bowling alley on the screen. 'OK, so what do I do?'

'Watch me. Look, you bring your arm back like you would in a real game, holding the controller, and then bring it forward to bowl, and when you do, press down here,' he said, indicating the appropriate button.

'OK,' Amy said, and turned to watch. And she made Sheldon so nervous, he missed every single pin.

'Yeah, well, sometimes there are bugs in the game,' he asserted, in a brave attempt to cover up his embarrassment.

'We'll see', she replied. 'OK, so…bring my arm back…and forward…now!' She clicked the button, and released her virtual ball, sending six pins crashing down.

'That's not bad,' Sheldon said, trying to ignore the fact that his nerves had got the better of him. 'But maybe it'd help if you move back a little, and stand off to the side a bit.'

'OK, you go, and I'll try it.'

Sheldon did a bit better this time, knocking down eight. Amy didn't do so well, only managing four.

'No, you're not in the right position,' he said then. 'Look,' he continued, and without really thinking it through placed his hand lightly on the small of her back. 'Round at this angle.'

Amy felt suddenly hot at his touch. Strictly speaking, was this in the rules? Well…it wasn't exactly affection, was it? It was learning to play a game…

'Then bring your arm back.' She looked down and saw him gently guide her arm back at the appropriate angle. 'Like that.' He looked quite hot himself, and darted a quick, shy glance at her before fixing his eyes back on the screen.

'Like this?' she asked, copying the movement she'd been shown, and getting her first strike. 'Hey, how 'bout that!'

'Yeah, just like that!' Sheldon replied proudly. 'See, I wasn't team captain for nothing!'

He took his turn, heart racing far more than it should, and almost not caring when he failed to get a strike himself.

'It could be Beginner's Luck though,' he said then. 'I ought to show you again…'

'Maybe you should,' Amy agreed, the late evening sun just catching her hair and making it shine. Her cheeks were flushed and an intense, slow burning tingle was growing somewhere deep inside her as Sheldon re-positioned her, and drew her arm back and forward again. She released the trigger on the controls, and knocked down another eight pins. Who would have thought bowling could be so exciting?

'OK, you have a go yourself now,' Sheldon said suddenly, after a couple more goes. He didn't stay alongside her, retreating instead to his spot in an attempt to calm – himself – down, but sitting behind Amy bending and stretching in a fairly tight skirt wasn't the right place to do that, and he was reduced to muttering something incoherent about the bathroom and promised to be back in a minute. As he left, Amy sat down, still feeling his touch and running her fingers over her new shirt. This evening was turning out to be one of best evenings of her life, and she'd made this stupid rule that she couldn't even kiss him? No, you can't, the sensible part of her told her. If this – when this – works out you'll be able to kiss him whenever you want! Calm down…not long now.

Sitting in the bathroom, Sheldon stared down at his lap, and the strained, almost painful, tightness that had anchored itself just below his belt buckle and was pressing hard on his zip. He closed his eyes, willing it to go away. It had been happening so much more lately – ever since he came back – and in a couple of hours he was going to have to take Amy into his room again, and keep it together and professional while she sat by his bed. Two and a half months, he told himself. Two and a half months…please Amy…I can't wait longer than that…


	6. Chapter 6

A couple of hours and a pizza delivery later, their game was concluded and both were busy with their own thoughts, although Sheldon at least was apparently engrossed in The Empire Strikes Back. Incidentally, Amy had won. Almost as if the team captain had something on his mind that evening…Ten o'clock came, and they both spoke at the same time.

'Well, I guess we ought to…' Amy began, as Sheldon said much the same. 'Shall I get my stuff?' she asked then, almost shyly. He left for his room as Amy pulled out her neuroscience bag of tricks, and sat tentatively on the edge of the couch, waiting to be asked to come in. When Sheldon called, she found him already lying in bed, covers pulled up tightly as if for protection, a last ditch bastion of propriety.

'So how was it last time?' Amy asked. 'Sleeping with all this on?'

'Well, I can't say it was comfortable, but such sacrifices must be made for the pursuit of Science,' Sheldon replied, trying to sound as detached as ever, but watching every move she made with a growing, fascinated intensity that was hard to hide.

'Indeed. In the past, many made sacrifices far worse,' Amy agreed, trying not to notice. She lingered over his hair, fingers gentle as she attached the sensors once again. Tonight, they'd just brushed the back of his neck, rather than his ear, and in spite of the hot summer's night, Sheldon couldn't help but shiver at her touch. She felt it, and abruptly drew her hand back, burning inside. She knew she had to go – now – or she'd lose all resolve and reason. Right now, that was a chance she couldn't afford to take. It was part of the journey they'd started, without even knowing it, a long time ago, but this was an unpredictable, uncertain stage of it that had to be handled with care.

'OK, you're done,' Amy said, unconsciously smoothing her skirt and tugging at non-existent creases on her new shirt. She hadn't taken it off from the moment Sheldon gave it to her. 'Wow, it's later than I thought! I really ought to get going…'

'Oh.' The last thing Sheldon wanted was for her to go. 'You know you could stay? You said you might last time?'

'I know…but…not tonight.' Amy looked up at him just then and caught the look in his eyes that said what he didn't. The one that said he wanted her.

'OK,' Sheldon conceded, reluctantly looking away. 'You're right, it's late. Goodnight Amy.'

'Goodnight Sheldon,' Amy replied, her hand on the door. 'You know, you could always come bowling with me tomorrow? See me kick those hippy butts?'

He smiled one of the rare, genuine smiles then that Amy suspected were only for her. 'You bet I will! With my coaching, how can you lose?'

'Great! I'll see you tomorrow!' Amy smiled in return, grateful for the turn in conversation, and bid her farewells. As soon as she left, Sheldon let out the breath he'd been holding, and thought of the curves of her body under his hand and under that shirt.

'…_and so, Commander Cooper, she's a young Vulcan Ensign just out of Starfleet. This is to be her first command, and as such, has requested further study of comparative Cosmology,' continued Captain James T Kirk, 'and I want you to provide any lessons she may need.' Did the Captain wink at him just then?_

_Nonetheless, Sheldon readily agreed. Comparative Cosmology with a junior Vulcan Science officer sounded a fascinating assignment, and he was keen to meet his new student. Suddenly, he was alone, and then, the door to his quarters slid open with a soft hiss, and there she was. Vulcan Amy – with slightly darker hair and pointy ears, dressed in the regulation Starfleet uniform of little skirt and knee boots, just as he remembered._

'_Commander Cooper?' she asked, coming to sit before him, a challenging look in her eyes. 'I understand you have a programme of study prepared for me?'_

'_Yes, Ensign. I want to begin with the definition of the various types of Cosmology, beginning with the variant known as Physical Cosmology, which is the branch of physics and astrophysics that deals with the study of the physical origins and evolution of the Universe…'_

_He paused. The young Vulcan woman looked distracted and somewhat arrogant as she stared back at him, legs crossed, her skirt high up her thigh._

'_Indeed. Continue, please.'_

'_Modern scientific cosmology is usually considered to have begun in 1917 with Albert Einstein's publication of his final modification of general relativity in the paper 'Cosmological Considerations of the General Theory of Relativity.' General relativity prompted cosmogonists such as Willem de Sitter, Karl Schwarzschild and Arthur Eddington to explore the astronomical consequences of the theory, which enhanced the growing ability of astronomers to study very distant objects. Prior to this (and for some time afterwards), physicists assumed that the Universe was static and unchanging.'_

'_Interesting,' she said, her eyes flicking up at him, 'but irrelevant.'_

'_Irrelevant? Exactly what do you mean by that, Ensign?_

'_I appear to unable to concentrate at the present time, Commander, so anything you say is irrelevant. My lack of concentration is likely to be a result of the onset of Pon Farr, and you appear to be a suitable mate,' she continued, walking around his desk and sitting immediately in front of him. 'I take it you are aware of the condition?'_

'_I am, but you appear to need a reminder of the chain of command,' Sheldon replied. 'I understood you to be my student. As such, you follow my rules.'_

'_Is that so?' Vulcan Amy asked, sliding off the desk and onto his lap, wrapping her thighs around his waist. 'Why don't you prove it?'_

'_Then get over there,' Commander Cooper ordered, indicating the bed across the room. A delectable look of desire mixed with defiance lit her eyes, and her skirt swished over her rear as she turned, before striding over and collapsing on his bed, her boot clad legs still crossed, looking back at him. Suddenly he was with her, over her, hands running over her uniform and under her skirt. She cried out, wrapping her legs tightly around his waist, pushing herself into him hard. She pushed him back slightly then, and sat up. Never breaking eye contact, she reached round to the back of her dress, and slowly drew the zip down. He leaned forward and pulled the sleeves from her shoulders, and she wriggled the rest of her body free, baring petite, perky breasts to the air. _

_He'd seen them before, warm and wet, small soapsuds alternately soaking into her skin and dripping from her. Last time, he couldn't touch. This time, there was no hesitation, and she cried his name as he took them, caressed them, while her hand snaked down…_

And then she was gone. This time, his sheets and pyjamas were dry, but the desire she'd provoked was uncomfortable, hard, undeniable and obvious. He woke, and lay there, hot and sweating, unable to do anything about it. He caught sight of the blinking red light of the camera, and felt guilty under its gaze. Waiting for such 'incidents' to stop was not unusual for him, and he'd even prided himself on his ability to do it efficiently and without resort to…what lesser men did…but it was so hard to deny it tonight, and he couldn't wait to see her again.

In the end, Sheldon slept, although it took some effort to focus on normal concerns that morning, not helped by the fact that Amy came to collect her equipment dressed in a pretty floral sundress with only the lightest of cardigans. The skirt was looser than usual, and while this should have somewhat less enticing, the way it moved as she walked was every bit as fascinating. In an attempt to distract himself, Sheldon opened his laptop and sent the email he'd written to Stephen Hawking, hoping the content would help the world renowned Physicist forget a certain drunk dialling incident. Then he followed up on an idea he remembered discussing with Amy some time ago, first texting Howard for the appropriate number.

'Hello, Mr Rostenkowski?' he asked. 'It's Sheldon Cooper, Howard's friend.' Funny how that seemed easier to say now. It must be down to that trip to Texas.

'Hello Sheldon,' Mike sounded somewhat surprised. 'How you doing? Howard said you'd been having a rough time recently, and Bernadette was after borrowing my service revolver to hunt you down – what happened?'

'It's a long story. I had some career issues, and I'm still working them out. There's other stuff too, but I won't go into that now. I'm calling because Howard said you'd started giving driving lessons?'

'Yeah, what, you want lessons?' Mike asked. 'Reckon I could do you Friends and Family discount?'

'Yes sir,' Sheldon replied. He was still nervous at the prospect, but Amy would be so impressed. All their friends would be …even if he had to endure the inevitable teasing from the guys to begin with.

'OK, great.' Mike paused for a while. 'When's good for you?'

'Well, I've got the summer off work now, so maybe tomorrow?'

'Sure. See you then.' Mike took his address and number, and Sheldon booked his first driving lesson in 17 years, feeling pretty good. He wouldn't be stuck in a confined, possibly unhygienic space with a stranger for hours on end, and trusted Mike. They'd got on well at Mrs Wolowitz's, and it would be good to talk again. Maybe he could offer some career advice.

It certainly wasn't a typical Friday. First driving lessons, and now not only was Vintage Video Games Night to be held at 4B this week; Sheldon wasn't going to be there.

'Hey, it'll be weird without you, buddy,' Leonard said when he'd come to pick up some games for them later that day.

'Weird for you? Imagine how it must feel for me,' Sheldon replied, not quite able to suppress the slight flash of anxiety that came from such flagrant disregard of routine.

Leonard smiled. 'You just have a good evening with Amy, OK? And wish her the best of luck from us, too.'

'She doesn't need luck,' Sheldon said proudly. 'I taught her!' He wasn't going to tell Leonard about his driving just yet - he'd rather they didn't know until he was at least reasonable.

'Hey, what you playing?' he asked then, catching sight of Leonard's games.


	7. Chapter 7

Knowing that she was going to see Sheldon that evening, Amy made sure to look over his latest EEG results as soon as possible. She immediately noticed the sudden spike on his graph, and the intensity of the brain waves it showed. Something was clearly going on inside her boyfriend's head at that point, and she couldn't wait to get some kind of insight into what it was. She fed the data into her computer, and then eagerly played back the video to the point when the spike appeared.

This time, he seemed to be muttering something about the origin of Cosmology…must have been that email he sent to Stephen Hawking. Once again, she was so proud of his intelligence, and turned up the sound, trying to catch some more…Ensign? Wasn't that from something Star Wars-Trek? Amy couldn't help smiling and rolling her eyes slightly at that.

'OK, that's probably not going to help career-wise,' she said to herself, 'but it is weird that the activity's so intense just here.'

'Get over here…' What was that, Amy wondered then. What on Earth was he talking about now? There was the same repeated movement she'd seen last time, and his breathing seemed heavy. She stayed watching him, entranced for some time, sure that such wave activity, linked with Cosmology facts and figures, must be indicative of his brain trying to work out his career crisis. She mentioned her findings to Dr Mee later.

'So the subject mentioned this as a possible field of study?' Dr Mee asked. 'It's likely to be a concern, I agree, but I don't think that's all it is.'

'What do you think it is?' Amy asked, intrigued.

'If we take these graphs here as an example,' Dr Mee replied, pulling some data up on his computer, 'these subjects were woken just after such activity, and 80 per cent reported a high level of sexual arousal.'

'What?' Amy blushed suddenly. She knew her results to have come from Sheldon, but as far as the rest of the team was concerned all results were anonymous.

'Yes, it's really very interesting,' Dr Mee continued, oblivious to Amy's reaction. 'The question is: Is the brain seeking an answer to a career issue or a personal one?'

'Yes…' Amy was quiet for a moment. What exactly was Sheldon dreaming about?

'Can I see that last data on this subject, please?' Dr Mee asked. 'Maybe there's a correlation between the two?'

Her mind reeling, Amy brought it up. She couldn't wait to see Sheldon later – what was going on?

By the time she arrived to take Sheldon bowling with her that evening, Amy had changed into her freshly washed and ironed new pink shirt, and he caught the scent of fabric softener mixed with her usual perfume and dandruff shampoo. It was a warm, clean smell that Sheldon loved.

'You've got your shirt on!' he exclaimed, taking in the sight joyfully.

'Of course!' Amy agreed. 'Are you ready?'

Just before they met the UCLA group at the bowling alley, Amy could resist no longer, and asked if Sheldon had been dreaming at all last night.

'Umm…' Suddenly the passing scenery seemed very interesting. 'Yes…I…was considering Cosmology.'

'Oh, OK…That would be an interesting choice,' Amy replied, watching him out of the corner of her eye. 'Anything else? You called someone Ensign…isn't that from Star Wars?'

Despite himself, Sheldon had to correct that. 'No Amy, Ensign is a Federation term, from Star Trek. It's not from the Republic.'

'Can you remember who it was?' she asked, trying to keep her tone light, but had the impression her questioning was touching a nerve.

Again, Sheldon was quiet for a moment. It was unusual. 'Well…er…no, not exactly…' and clearly blushed. His reaction was intriguing, but any further questions were cut off as Amy was greeted by various colleagues, and Sheldon breathed a sigh of relief. It was so hard to keep anything from her.

'Hey, strike!' Amy called excitedly a little later, and Sheldon felt a sudden rush of pride in his girlfriend, who'd been driving mad him already bending over in that skirt. In an attempt to keep his reactions hidden as best he could, Sheldon made for the bar, promising to get Amy a drink. Standing there was a latecomer to the UCLA Combined Sciences team, Dr Sonia Hernandez, a young pharmacologist. She'd been stuck in traffic, and thought a drink would help calm her before joining the others. As she picked up her glass, Sonia noticed the tall young man across from her. Sonia had three brothers, and as such, had grown up with their superhero films and comic books, and grown to appreciate them rather more than most women, and recognised the limited edition Dark Knight shirt Sheldon was wearing. She was impressed, and then let her eyes linger a little longer. Was he here _with_ anyone?

'Excuse me?' she asked then. 'Could I ask where you got that shirt?'

Sheldon turned to her, surprised. _Who was she?_

'And who are you?' he asked bluntly.

'Oh, excuse me,' Sonia replied. She was making an idiot of herself – something about this man was just too distracting…

'It's my favourite movie,' she explained, slightly breathlessly. 'And that's a limited edition,' she finished, indicating the shirt. Sheldon looked at her, puzzled. Women rarely took an interest in such things. The only one he knew of who ever had was that one he'd met with Raj, but it soon became apparent she wanted to do more with him than to discuss the Green Lantern, and was of no more interest. It didn't even cross his mind that it could be happening again.

'So who are you?'

'Sonia Hernandez,' she said, smiling up at him. 'I'm a pharmacologist at UCLA – we've got a team here tonight.'

'Oh, yes I know,' Sheldon replied. 'I'm here with Amy.' Oh. That briefly stopped Sonia in her tracks, but she didn't know Amy very well, and to be honest, found it hard to believe in this boyfriend she'd heard about. He must just be someone she worked with, Sonia thought, staring at Sheldon.

'So where'd you get it?'

'At a local Comic Book store, but I don't think you'd know it.'

'My brother knows a guy called Stuart who had one, it burnt down though…'

Just at that moment, Amy decided to help Sheldon with the drinks, and it struck her suddenly that Sonia looked far too much like Salma Hayek for comfort. Only one thought flashed through her as she saw her attempting to engage _her_ Sheldon in conversation – _Back off, Bitch!_

'Oh, thank you, Sheldon, you got my drink!' she said, more loudly than necessary, shooting an unmistakable glare at Sonia. 'This is my boyfriend, Dr Sheldon Lee Cooper,' she continued, to which Sonia bit her lip and hurriedly excused herself.

'Of course I did, Amy,' he replied, wondering why she'd felt the need to practically shout. 'And I'd have brought it sooner if that woman didn't keep talking to me!'

Amy took a quick, shaky breath. Sheldon's obvious indifference to Sonia calmed her, but she resolved to keep an eye on her that evening.

'OK…it's fine,' she managed. 'Just…she was hitting on you…' _And she's so much prettier than me, like a Latino Bengal Tiger_, Amy thought, unable to resist the comparison with Priya.

'Really?' Sheldon asked, as they sat down. 'Well that was a waste of time.'

Amy glanced back at him and smiled. That was one of the sweetest things she'd ever heard, and looked back again over her shoulder as she was called up to bowl. As she bent over, once again, Sheldon couldn't keep his eyes off her, and was pleased to see that the Combined Sciences were winning already.

Sonia kept her distance for the rest of the evening, but that didn't mean someone else did. While she was bowling, a young English lecturer was watching Amy with interest. She looked good in that skirt, and there were just enough curves on show to make her interesting.

'Hey, good one!' Steve called out just then from a nearby table. 'You ought to be on our team!'

Amy turned to look at him rather blankly. 'Excuse me? I don't think we've been introduced.'

'Sorry,' he continued, getting up and walking over to her. 'Steve Taylor, English department. You read much?' It wasn't much of an opening line, he knew, but it was worth a try. He briefly thought of the man she'd been sitting with most of the evening, but based on their interactions put him down as no more than a friend.

'I fail to see that it has much relevance, but yes. Are you familiar with Chaucer?' Amy replied, still slightly puzzled as to why this opposing team member should be engaging in idle chit-chat.

'I love Chaucer!' Right now he'd love anything. 'And you must be Amy,' he said, indicating the name on her shirt.

'Amy Farrah Fowler,' she corrected, guessing that Sheldon had gone to the bathroom. He'd been doing that rather a lot this evening, and she hoped the bar's chilli dogs weren't to blame.

'Well Amy,' Steve said, moving a little closer. 'So you like The Canterbury Tales, right?'

'Yes, although they really need to be read in the original Middle English. Modern translations lose something.' It was a line she'd used in the past to end tedious obligatory dates.

Steve's field of study was Ernest Hemingway and F Scott Fitzgerald, but he readily agreed, and asked 'So…Amy…ever been to England?'

Sheldon, in the bathroom, took a final couple of deep breaths. Feeling…calmer…at last, he made his way back out to the lanes. Things were getting really bad when just her smile was causing – problems – especially in public, and he had a feeling the curves under her skirt and shirt would be in some hot, fevered dreams tonight. Keep it together, Cooper, he told himself angrily. You're better than this! It wouldn't be her turn now for a while, Sheldon noticed, looking at the rest of her team up by the lanes, and decided that a couple of mineral waters were just what they needed. However, any thoughts of calming down were gone in a flash of white hot jealously as he caught sight of the way that _idiot_ was looking at his girl.

'Excuse me!' he said, abruptly interrupting Steve.

'Oh, Sheldon this is…' Amy began, before noticing the colour in Sheldon's cheeks and the look in his eye. Did he think this guy was hitting on her? Wasn't he just some dull member of the opposing team?

'I'd like to get my girlfriend a drink,' Sheldon continued, glaring at the smaller man. 'Come on, Amy.'

Amy, glad to leave but still unsure what was happening, pulled Sheldon aside once they got to the bar, and asked, 'Hey, what's going on?'

'You're _my_ girl,' Sheldon managed, looking down at the floor, somewhat embarrassed now.

'Well, I know that,' Amy smiled. A small voice inside her screamed '_On probation!_' but she wasn't really listening to it right now.

'Just wanted to make sure he knew it.' Sheldon kicked at something on the carpet.

'What, you think that tedious hippie was hitting on me?' Amy asked, just as incredulously as he had earlier. Sheldon couldn't bring himself to say anything, and just nodded. Amy shook her head, and nearly reached down to take his hand before remembering herself.

'Well, that would be, and I quote, rather a waste of time, don't you think?'

They looked at each other just then, and smiled. 'Hey, Amy…you want a mineral water?' Sheldon asked, and led her over to the bar. Still smiling, Amy followed.

Combined Sciences won in the end, much to Sheldon's and Amy's delight. He felt so proud of her, and kept shooting her little glances all the way home. Amy was just parking up when he confessed he'd spoken to Mike about driving lessons, in a blatant attempt to keep her with him a little longer.

'That's great, Sheldon!' Amy exclaimed. He really deserved a kiss right now.

'Well, I'm not sure about it, but so much else has descended into chaos recently I had nothing left to lose,' Sheldon sighed, but flashed her a quick smile, all the same.

'And you'll be great – c'mon, you excel in everything you do!' Amy reddened then, and so did he. Was that flirting?

'That's true, but like acting, it may take a little while to master the craft,' he admitted. He'd never say such things out loud to anyone but her, and she knew it.

'Well, let me know how you get on…' Sheldon made to get out, but just before he could, Amy stopped him.

'Sheldon, you know, there was something else about your results last night…'

'Really?' He sounded a little nervous.

'Yes…that spike of activity you had last time? You had it again, and in a similar study, 80 per cent of subjects linked it with some form of sexual arousal.' There. She'd said it, and felt herself covered in a whole body blush.

'Umm…really? Well…that may be so, but…' She'd got him flustered now. 'I'm not in the majority for anything, Amy, you know that!' he muttered quickly, banged his head in his hurry to get out, and barely noticed it.

'I know,' Amy replied with a slight smile. 'Just thought you'd like to know. Goodnight Sheldon.'

'Goodnight,' he answered, from the opposite side of the door, breathing hard once again. She looked back at him one last time, flashed the smile that had been causing him so much trouble all evening, and was gone. As Sheldon climbed the stairs to the fourth floor, it struck him that the Vixen had worked her magic that night already…what else did she know about his dreams?


	8. Chapter 8

The following morning, Sheldon nearly managed to get away with leaving for his first driving lesson without being caught, but he hadn't accounted for Penny out unexpectedly early on her way to an audition.

'Hey Sheldon!' she called, just as he was about to get in Mike's car. 'Don't tell me you're learning how to drive!'

Sheldon fixed her with his best look of haughty derision in an attempt to cover any embarrassment. 'Penny, even with your limited mental capacity, I would have thought that was obvious,' he replied, indicating the driving school logo emblazoned across the side of the car.

'Ooh, just wait until I tell Leonard!' she giggled. 'You realise you owe all of us like a million lifts!'

Sheldon glared at her, as Mike poked his head out. 'Hi Penny! Congratulations! You got a date set?'

'Hi, Mr Rostenkowski!' she called back. 'No, not yet, but we're going up to Nebraska next month to talk to my family about it!'

'OK, well, we sure wish you the best of luck,' the older man replied, and then turned to Sheldon. 'So you getting in or what?'

They didn't go very far, in his first lesson, but it was surprising just how much there was to think about. Generally speaking, Sheldon was comfortable with his thought processes – they were controlled, linear, with defined outcomes (not including Amy), but this was so much harder. By the end of the lesson, he was exhausted.

'So how'd I do?' he asked Mike afterwards.

Mike paused for a while. 'Well, you got a lot to learn, but it's your first time. Course you got a lot to learn.'

'Learning's usually easy.'

'Yeah well, usually you don't have other things to think about, right?' He paused again, and then asked 'If you don't mind me asking, why'd you leave it so long?'

Sheldon looked away briefly. Memories of arguments with various redneck cretins who thought they knew better came to mind, the same arguments that got him banned from every driving school in Galveston. 'Well, I…' he began, and faltered under Mike's stern gaze.

'You know, I haven't been doing this very long, but I seen a few cocky 17 year olds who think they know better already. I'm guessing that was you.'

'Maybe…'

'Right. Well, you may be a smart guy, but right now, I know more than you, OK?'

'OK.' Sheldon had to agree.

Mike nodded. 'So, you want another lesson?' Again, Sheldon agreed. This was a challenge, and Sheldon Lee Cooper did not back down from a challenge. Which brought his career conundrum to mind…

'Mr Rostenkowski – Mike – did you ever…want to change your career?'

'Funny you should say that,' the older man replied. 'This one time, I was in the hospital, after a good friend of mine, someone I'd served with on the force for ten years, was shot. I lay there thinking that could have been me, thinking about my wife and the kids. In the end, I got to thinking the best way to move on was to get back out there and bring 'em down. I'm guessing your problem didn't leave anyone dead,' he finished bluntly. 'If no-one's dead, it's not such a problem.'

For the rest of the day, Sheldon mulled over Mike's words. Could it really be resolved more easily than he thought?

Later that week, Dr Gablehouser hoisted his zip, and made his way over to the basins, on his way back to the office. Once there, he sat down comfortably at his desk, and began work on drafting a new grant proposal. Before he did though, he sighed with satisfaction. It had been nearly three months since Dr Cooper had gone on his sabbatical. Three months with nothing in the suggestion box and no follow up emails clogging up his inbox. Three months without being obliged to intervene in spats between Dr Cooper and certain members of the faculty, and, most importantly, three months of being able to use the bathroom in peace. Life was good – was it really just over a month until he was due back?

Gablehouser decided to ignore that thought, and opened the new message showing on his screen from Professor Siebert. To say he was surprised at its content would be an understatement. Apparently, Stephen Hawking had contacted Siebert earlier that day, saying that he'd received an email concerning Dr Cooper's possible future in Cosmology, and was prepared to fund him should he decide to pursue it. As Gablehouser was all too aware, the university could never have enough sponsors, and was curious as to what Cooper would say…

At the same time, Professor Feinman, Neuroscience Faculty Head, was facing Amy. The older woman appeared somewhat concerned, and Amy wondered what the problem was.

'Dr Fowler, I wanted to speak with you about your current REM study,' she began. She paused for a moment then continued.

'From the results you and your colleagues have been collecting, and the conclusions you've drawn, it looks to be a very promising study. It's even been picked up by the American Journal of Neuroscience, and they'd like you and your team to present your preliminary findings at their annual symposium in Santa Monica in September.'

'That's great,' Amy replied, still wondering why this would be a concern. 'Is there something wrong?'

'Well, yes, but it's my responsibility really, not yours. You recall the conversation we had before the study began on the particular conditions needed by this particular subject?' she asked, indicating Sheldon's graph.

'Yes, but I outlined the reasons why and was sure to obtain all necessary permissions at the time,' Amy replied.

'Yes, and I signed you off to continue, but on reflection, I don't think this particular data can be used as part of the study. It's a shame, because it's very interesting, but I think is too compromised.'

'Oh.' Amy answered, disappointed. 'So you want it destroyed?'

'I'm afraid so,' Professor Feinman said, sitting back. 'It's for you and your subject to decide how you wish to dispose of it.'

'OK,' Amy said. She'd hoped to find some answers soon. She'd just have to present the results she had so far to Sheldon, and go over the evidence with him before getting rid of it.

'I'm sorry, Dr Fowler,' Professor Feinman finished, 'but we just can't use it. You will be able to speak at the Symposium though, I hope?'

'When is it?'

'September 16th and 17th. You'd be staying over at the hotel on the 16th. I'll email you the itinerary.'

'OK, thank you, Professor Feinman. I look forward to it.' Amy got up to leave.

'Thank you Dr Fowler. I look forward to hearing you and your team present your results.'

Making her way back to the lab, Amy thought some more about the symposium Professor Feinman had mentioned. It was to be held exactly four months after Sheldon's return, and he'd want to know if he'd 'passed' as her boyfriend going forward. To be honest, she was pretty sure he had, and it had been very hard trying to keep up the cool, detached demeanour around him that once came so naturally. She felt closer to him than she had in quite some time, which was strange considering she'd taken them back to the beginning, in a sense, and had the feeling he was finding it just as difficult to resist her. That was a strange and enticing thought – who could have imagined that the frumpy teenager called 'Fat Ass Fowler' could have such power over such an attractive man?

Sitting down at her workbench, Amy opened her emails, and sure enough, Professor Feinman had sent her the itinerary. Glancing through it, Amy was interested to read about the hotel and its facilities, as the note on the email that said UCLA had booked rooms for all its delegates. Maybe, just maybe, Sheldon would come to see her? After all, it looked likely that his 'probation' would be up by then…she really hoped she was right. Her mind started wandering, and she had to stop herself before her imagination turned far too dirty for work. She'd just about settled down enough to concentrate on the graphs in front of her, when she noticed her phone light up.

'Hi Sheldon!' she said, smiling. If only he knew what she was hoping for just a few moments ago…

'Amy!' he exclaimed, sounding ecstatic. 'You'll never guess what just happened!'

'No, what happened?'

'I just got this email…'

'Wow, it wasn't the Nobel Committee, was it?'

'Not yet, but it could be a step on the way!' he replied, excitedly. 'Siebert got an email from Stephen Hawking about me! He said Hawking would fund me if I switch to Cosmology!'

'Really, that's great Sheldon!' she replied warmly. 'Hey, I've got something to tell you too.'

'What?'

'I've been asked to speak at the national symposium for the Journal of Neuroscience!' she announced proudly.

'Really?' She blushed as he sounded as proud as she had just now, and he was. Only recently he'd been thinking about how proud he was of Amy, and knew he hadn't told her anything like enough. 'That's great!'

'I know, right? So it's being held at the Four Seasons Santa Monica in September – you want to come?'

Sheldon took a quick breath and felt his pulse kick up a gear. Watching smart Amy in front of the leading academics in her profession talking Science… It was weird how that was hot, but it was. Combine that with recognition from Stephen Hawking – could this day get any better?

'Oh yeah, when is it?'

'September 16th and 17th. The delegates are staying there too, like at Big Sur?' she added, wondering if he'd pick up the tentative suggestion.

'Right – hey, I'll look it up for you. It always pays to check the reviews first, you know?' She got the impression he was trying to keep his mind on normal concerns, and she was right. Hawking's email was amazing news, but somehow, this was bigger. This was the end of the probation period, and he was surprised at the sudden fantasy of congratulating smart Amy and proving his worth right there in her room.

'Thank you Sheldon,' Amy answered, trying to keep calm herself. 'So, what are you going do about Hawking?'

'Oh…um…' Why was it an effort to focus? 'Well, I don't know yet, but it's great to know I've got the option!'

'Yeah! Hey, have you told the guys?'

'No, not yet! I'm going to email Leonard now!' he finished with renewed excitement.

'OK, great! Speak to you soon!' She loved how enthusiastic he got sometimes, and having secured funding made his situation so much better.

As he hung up, Sheldon fell back on to his spot, hot and excited. He told himself it was the chance to work with Hawking, but he knew that wasn't the only reason. He was going to see Amy speak. She'd asked him to come away with her, and right now, there was nothing he'd rather do. That wasn't to say he wouldn't get nervous, nearer the time, that things might not go well, or (rather more so) that they'd go very well indeed, but for now, his initial response was developing into a fantasy it was very hard to resist.

Maybe…he didn't have to email Leonard just now…He thought of how proud he was of Amy, and how pleased she'd been when he'd told her about his first lesson with Mike. He thought of his genius being recognised by possibly his only intellectual equal. Pride in her and renewed confidence in himself was a powerful combination. It made him want her – now.

Without realising it, his breathing had turned shallow, and his pulse still raced. The ache that had been growing further down as soon as he'd started speaking to her was burning, harder now, the tight, strained fabric over his lap undeniable. He was quite alone in the apartment this afternoon. Even if he did come back, Leonard wouldn't be home for hours.

Sheldon thought some more. He thought of how Amy had looked when she went bowling, and when she'd come to set her experiments up at night, and the curves that haunted his dreams. He couldn't believe what he was contemplating, or how much he needed it. Feeling slightly guilty still, he gently ran one finger down the length of his zip, and then just off to the side. It was only the lightest of touches, but it sent a shiver through him. He'd kept so much hidden, so much denied when it came to Amy, almost since the day they'd met. The stroke of one finger became that of his palm, over, up and down. The shiver grew, becoming more like a jolt, as the fabric beneath his hand grew tighter. Even through the material, it felt good. He leaned back. Somewhere, deep in his mind was the familiar voice of reason, telling him this was wrong, dirty…messy…After a while, he couldn't hear it. She'd done this…she'd made him want her…taken him to the point of no return where logic and reason had no bearing. With the last bit of coherent thought Sheldon possessed, he knew it _would_ be messy. Not here. It couldn't be here.

Once in the bathroom, it was easy, far too easy, to let the water cascade over him under the shower and touch it, for the first time in…oh, too long…It was warm, wet, smooth and begged to be held, stroked, rubbed, harder, always harder. His breath was ragged now, and as he remembered his dream, of Vulcan Amy's regulation uniform and black boots, he couldn't stop it. The release felt so good, so much better than he remembered, and for a moment, he just stood, leaning against the tiles, panting. In just over a month, she'd make her decision. In just over a month, at that hotel, Sheldon knew he'd be ready...


	9. Chapter 9

As he had tried to tell the guys during Raj's Harry Potter Marathon, Leonard had recently found them a new Comic Book Store. It was the same one that Bernadette had got Howard's replacement comic from a while back, but now under the ownership of none other than Stuart's assistant, Dale. He was doing rather well too, which surprised the guys when they went that week, but all were glad that one important element of their lives was back to normal, especially Sheldon.

Things did seem to be getting better for him, actually. He'd thought some more about Stephen Hawking's offer, and decided to take him up on it, and was due back to start work in the Astrophysics Department with Raj next month, concentrating on Cosmology. It was probably best that they had their own offices now though, considering the desk issue, and of course, there was Amy's lecture.

While their men were spending a happy evening catching up on all the reading they'd missed, Amy had asked Penny, Bernadette and Emily round for a Girl's Night. They accepted gladly, although with some slight trepidation on Penny and Bernadette's part. Having known Amy for longer, they knew that her Girl's Nights could be prompted by some random inspiration or concept of female bonding that was somewhat unexpected – Penny had vetoed the painting of some ancient fertility symbols on each other a while back, stating that her body was not going to be popping out any little Hofstadters any time soon. Fortunately for her, the activity Amy had chosen this time was rather more conventional – baking cookies.

'I know the wedding's being catered,' Amy began, as the girls sat down with a glass of wine, 'but I looked up these recipes and thought we could bake you some wedding favours, at least for the top table?'

'Oh, that's so sweet!' exclaimed Penny. 'This is like being a little girl again – did you bake cookies with your Mom too?'

'Actually no,' Amy replied. 'I understand it's what many girls do with their mothers, but if I wanted cookies, my mother just sent me to the store to go get some.'

There was the slightly uncomfortable silence then that had met her remarks rather more in the past. Penny felt a little guilty for bringing it up.

'Well,' Bernadette began brightly, trying to cheer things up, 'with all us kids, it was a lot cheaper to bake, so I'd love to!'

'Yeah, me too,' agreed Emily. 'Raj will love them…even if he'll say it ruins his figure!'

'OK, great!' Amy passed round the recipes, and later that evening the girls were full on cookies and Pinot, chatting about family holidays.

'We couldn't really afford to go many places,' Bernadette explained, 'so we went camping quite a lot. Sometimes the nuns at school took us out too.'

'Oh that's cool, we'd go out with my Dad,' Penny replied. 'Cooking the fish we'd caught that day over the fire, on a summer's evening…I'd love to take Leonard sometime, but he'd never go for it.'

'And I went with Eagle Scouts, before they realised I was a girl,' finished Amy, much to Emily's surprise.

'They didn't know you were a girl?'

'No, I was nine years old and had short hair at the time, and was rather further from developing secondary sexual characteristics than I would have wanted later, but it was good while it lasted.'

'OK…so, you've all been camping? You know, I never did!' Emily replied, taking a sip of her wine.

'You didn't?' Penny asked.

'No – from what you said though, it sounds kind of fun.'

'It's great!' said Amy enthusiastically. 'Hey, we should go sometime – what're you doing this weekend?' she continued, looking round the group.

'I think I'm free,' Bernadette said, with a smile. 'Let's leave the boys to go play that weekend!'

'One question,' said Penny. 'Can we take wine and a beer cooler? My Dad never went without a beer cooler!'

The other girls readily agreed, and Amy flashed up her tablet to look for possible locations. By the end of the evening, they'd settled on Big Bear Lake, a couple of hours' drive from Pasadena. She was so excited – if someone had told her at fifteen that not only would she have three girlfriends one day, but would be going away for the weekend with them, she'd never have believed it! She'd tell Sheldon all about it later, and smiled as she received his goodnight text letting her know he'd picked up the latest Flash, Batman and Wolverine.

'Looks like you have plenty of reading to do!' she replied, and before he texted her, that was just what he thought he'd do. Having heard from her though, somehow made him forget anything else…

The following day, Sheldon had met Amy at her lab for lunch. He was surprised, even shocked, to hear her plans.

'Really Amy? Camping out in the middle of nowhere?'

'It's hardly nowhere, Sheldon,' she replied calmly, typing up her latest REM study observations.

'And what about the name? The clue's in the name – Big Bear? Are you sure you should be staying there?' He was probably most surprised at how worried for her he was. It shouldn't matter to him, should it? He wasn't risking life and limb among bears, snakes, sunburn and possibly inadequate bathroom facilities.

Amy smiled. His concern was so cute! 'I'll send you the link to the campsite. Don't worry, there are no actual bears.' She didn't think so, anyway.

'I bet you haven't even got an adequate First Aid and Survival kit,' he continued, fixing her with a look that despite herself, made her blush suddenly. _Are you telling me off, Dr Cooper?_

'I have one at home,' she countered, with a smile that reminded him of thoughts that had plagued him ever since – it happened in the shower. 'I do try to keep it well maintained.'

'Not good enough,' Sheldon replied, trying to stay brisk and business-like. 'You and I need to go to Walgreen's tonight, little lady.'

'OK,' she agreed with a smile. Maybe her results could wait for now.

Sheldon nodded. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't somewhat relieved by her admission that she couldn't use those results, considering how disturbing his dreams had been, but still felt that any such study could only have been enhanced for having his brain in it, and said as much.

'Agreed,' Amy replied. 'I had hoped to find answers soon, but maybe it will become clear when we review the data.'

In an effort to take his mind off the potential results of her study, and her in general, Sheldon spent the rest of the afternoon downloading various First Aid tutorials from YouTube to take over to Amy's that evening. It didn't work. The combination of Amy and First Aid only made him think of her as Nurse Chapel, and had she not arrived when she did, he would have given in to temptation again…twice in one week! What was happening? He wasn't an animal! Fortunately, he always enjoyed pharmacy visits, and they spent a happy half hour going around the store together, collecting all the items Sheldon believed she needed to survive 48 hours outside the boundaries of greater Los Angeles. Her car was rather full by the time they finished.

'What's that?' Amy asked, as Sheldon loaded up the first video on his tablet soon after they'd settled down with some green tea.

'First Aid demonstrations,' he explained. 'You weren't going to leave the emergency procedures up to Penny, were you?'

Amy smiled. 'You know I was an Eagle Scout,' she replied.

'An Eagle Scout?' Sheldon looked at her in surprise. 'You're a girl.' And didn't he know it.

'Yes, but at the time I could easily pass for a boy, and I took one look round the room when my mother dropped me off for Girl Scouts, saw various girls that bullied me at school, and kind of slipped down the hall to where the boys were meeting instead. It was a few months before they found out,' she continued, catching his eye.

'What happened?'

'Well, one time, I'd had rather too much of my mother's chilli before the meeting. I could usually avoid using the bathroom, but this time it wasn't an option.' She paused. 'You were a boy. I take it you're familiar with the 'Peeing up against the wall' competition?'

Sheldon shuddered. 'Ugh. Yes. My brother tended to win.'

'Well, that's what I walked in on…and they asked if I wanted to join in…You should have seen the look on their faces!' Amy finished, amused at the memory. 'Of course I couldn't stay after that!'

Sheldon shook his head slightly in amazed exasperation. His Amy – such an enigma. Well, that didn't mean she got away with disappearing off to the wilds without a refresher course. They watched all the videos he had, and Amy was just about to put on a fascinating documentary about Antarctica when he stopped her.

'No,' he said, taking the DVD. 'If you insist on this folly of spending time in the wilderness, theory won't be enough. You need practice.' She looked at him, surprised, as he pulled some antiseptic lotion and a rolled bandage out of his bag. Offering them to her, Sheldon said, 'I've got a foot long gash up my arm, Dr Fowler. What're you gonna do about it?'

She eyed the medical supplies and his arm in slight shock. He'd rolled his sleeve up and clearly expected her to follow the appropriate procedure for treating him. This was so…unexpected. Unprecedented, almost, that he was asking her to touch him. It hadn't escaped her notice that his Southern accent had shown more just then, and she felt herself react, suspecting such a lapse to be betraying some flash of emotion he was trying to hide.

'Umm…OK,' she agreed, reaching for the bandage, and, fingers shaking a little, started to untie it.

'No,' he said again. It was important she get this right, he told himself. That's why he'd asked her to practice. Absolutely. That he was getting goosebumps anticipating her touch wasn't the point. Neither was the heat that raced up his neck, or the impulse to shuffle slightly closer to her.

'You need to disinfect it first. I don't wanna die of blood poisoning and then get eaten by a bear.'

'Uh…right.' Copying what he'd done over a year ago now when she was sick, Amy squeezed some lotion on to her fingers, and gently smoothed it into his arm. The clean, efficient smell should have calmed Sheldon somewhat, but it didn't. He was remembering when she was sick too, and wondered if it had felt this good for her when he'd rubbed her chest.

'OK, now I need to bandage you up, right?' she asked, looking back at him with darkened, intensely focused eyes that shone behind her glasses. This was hot. She could never have imagined 'no physical affection' could be so hot, and felt herself start to ache deep down inside as she wound the stretchy bandage over his skin. She secured it with a safety pin, and smoothed the fabric down to get out any kinks.

'How's that, Dr Cooper?' Her question came low, huskier than intended. Sheldon had been watching her hands, captivated by their softness and skill. It was so hard to sit still and not react – not in a panic, as he would if most other people touched him, but trying not to touch her. More specifically, trying not to pull her onto his lap, or push her up against the head of the couch and pin her down.

'That appears more than satisfactory,' he managed, not meeting her eyes. He should go – now. If he stayed, he'd break every rule they'd set. Worst of all, she seemed to know it, and seemed to be fighting to keep herself from letting him.

'OK, well, thank you for helping with all this stuff,' Amy replied, suddenly aware of the situation. 'I really ought to get you home…' She picked up her keys, and turned to Sheldon.

'Yeah, well…it's getting late…and I said I'd watch 'Firefly' with Leonard,' he answered, hoping she wouldn't check the TV listings later, and kept his eyes on her curvy rear all the way out to the car.


	10. Chapter 10

You can't go that way. Raj groaned in exasperation at the text adventure game version of The Hobbit.

'Guys, can't we just watch the movie instead?' he pleaded, not expecting much success. Friday night was Vintage Video Games Night, not Movie Night. 'I've got a Collector's Edition on Blu-Ray…'

'Oh yeah, cool!' replied Leonard, as he and Howard, both fed up with their cyclical quest, nodded.

'Sheldon?' Howard asked then, indicating the latest instalment in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. 'What do you think? Special extended edition?'

'Oh, uh, yeah,' he managed, looking up suddenly from his phone.

'Sheldon, are you texting Amy when she's across the hall?' teased Leonard, a smile on his face. The number of times Sheldon had told him his text marathons to 4B were ridiculous…

Sheldon didn't answer for a moment, but then got himself together sufficiently to sound appropriately condescending. 'As it happens, Leonard, Amy was merely informing me of an excellent book she found on Kindle today and intends to take this weekend. It's a survival guide written by an ex- Navy Seal, and should prove invaluable if an emergency occurs. She's taking the girls through a PowerPoint on edible fungi as we speak.'

Howard grinned. 'You do know that this isn't real wilderness, right? There's a Visitor's Centre, and Condos…it's not like they're being parachuted into Afghanistan!'

'Really Howard,' Sheldon began, 'did your survival training teach you nothing? It's best to be prepared should an emergency come up. There are appropriate procedures to follow and Amy recognises this.'

'OK, whatever. You'll miss her too!' said Leonard, just before Raj agreed, saying 'Oh, and I'm so going to miss Emily! I hope she gets a look at those Condos – I'm fine with staying there sometime!'

'Please. It's two days. I think I can cope,' Sheldon sniffed, clicking his phone to send another message.

'She's not going come back to find any kitties, then?' asked Howard, settling down to watch the movie.

'That has nothing to with it!' Sheldon retorted. 'You may find one night apart constitutes a prolonged absence from your significant other, but I think we are more than capable of coping with such things!'

'OK, OK,' Leonard said, feeling the need to calm these two down. 'Raj, wait a minute. Remember that thing we were talking about at lunch today?'

'Oh yeah!' Raj replied excitedly, pausing the DVD.

'What?' asked Sheldon.

'Well,' Leonard began, 'we were thinking earlier, about all the things we have to celebrate right now. There's my engagement, your new career, Raj finding Emily and Howard not having to worry about his mother so much…and a new Comic Book Store!'

Sheldon nodded. His new career trajectory was certainly something to celebrate, as was a new Comic Book Store.

'So we were thinking,' Leonard continued, 'seeing as it was the Comic Book Store that got us thinking about it, how about we have a DC/Marvel Marathon here this weekend? Movies, games, books…even costumes, although it's too short notice to get new ones…'

He was cut off by Sheldon's enthusiastic reply. 'Yes to all!' That sounded great. He hadn't been looking forward to a weekend on his own without Amy.

'Just so long as I'm not Aquaman this time,' added Raj. 'I think I'll find my Thor costume!'

There was some brief discussion regarding costumes, and a rough schedule of movies and games, and then the guys turned their attention back to The Hobbit, losing themselves in the adventure of Middle Earth. As he was watching however, Sheldon couldn't help but think back to a scene in one of the earlier films in the series, when an Elvish princess gave her human lover a necklace as token of her love that would last long after he was gone. It wasn't her birthday for months, but Sheldon had been thinking of buying Amy a gift to congratulate her on her study, especially as he still felt slightly guilty it had taken Penny to make him think of it before. Maybe something to wear at the Symposium, but to get the right one could take some research…

'Penny, do you think you're sufficiently dressed for the wilderness?' inquired Sheldon the next day, as he and Leonard were by Penny's car, waiting for the other girls to meet up outside the apartment, from which they intended to travel in convoy. Penny looked at him, still crotchety at being up and about at nine in the morning.

'What's the matter with it?' she asked sharply, indicating a brightly coloured little vest top, denim micro shorts and flip flops, beer cooler at her feet.

'Nothing at all,' assured Leonard, who hadn't been able to take his eyes off her since she put them on.

'What's the matter with it?' repeated Sheldon, cutting him off. 'Have you considered sunburn, insect bites, Poison Ivy…'

'Yeah, yeah, yeah…it's hot, all right?' Penny answered, smoothing some sun cream into her arms for emphasis.

Shortly after, they were joined by Amy. She stepped out of the car, and to Sheldon, made a welcome contrast with Penny. Amy was wearing a big, comfortable UCLA T-shirt, long lightweight hiking shorts and sensible footwear. He knew without asking that she'd covered her fair skin with high factor sun block, and had wisely brought a hat. He felt his eyes drawn to her legs; for all that he told himself he was just checking she'd brought all the survival equipment.

'It's all here, Sheldon,' she confirmed, producing a blue folder. 'Here is an inventory, and here are the medical contact details for myself, Penny, Bernadette and Emily, along with the contact number for the Park Ranger's office at Big Bear, California State Disease Control Board, Forest Fire Watch and a link to the live feed Weather Channel.'

She literally took Sheldon's breath away. His Amy thought of everything.

Next to arrive were Howard and Bernadette. Bundled in the back of her car was a huge red rucksack that looked to be the same size as she was.

'Hi guys!' Howard greeted them. 'OK, I got X-Men Trilogy, Man of Steel, Fantastic Four and The Amazing Spiderman Three Disc Combo!'

'Cool!' exclaimed Leonard, turning to look at the DVDs in Howard's far smaller rucksack. He was interrupted, however, as Sheldon suddenly noticed the time.

'Leonard, do you realise what time it is?' he asked.

'No…just gone nine?'

'It's nine fifteen. What's happened to Rajesh and his ultimate Batman collection, including all the associated games?'

Fortunately, Raj arrived just then with Emily. As he got out of the car, the others were somewhat surprised to see that he was already dressed in his Thor costume.

'Hey guys, sorry I'm late,' he said, walking over. 'Emily wanted to see my costume.'

'Well, it's nice to see you made the effort, but really, nearly twenty minutes late?' asked Sheldon, exasperated. 'You didn't forget the Batman DVDs?'

Having reassured Sheldon that he had them, Raj was then pulled aside by Howard, who asked 'So, did Thor get his hammer out this morning?'

Raj grinned, looking slightly sheepish. 'Dude, I've waited a long time. I take every chance I can get!'

'OK,' Amy announced then. 'So you ladies know where we're going, right?' They nodded. 'Right, so we're ready to go?'

'Oh, I'll miss you, Howie!' said Bernadette, wrapping her arms around him.

'And I'll miss you, Emily. Go and light up the lake with your beauty,' continued Raj, pulling her into a kiss.

The two less openly affectionate couples looked at the two more openly affectionate in some bemusement, and in Sheldon's case, true discomfort.

'Yeah, well…go blast some aliens for me,' said Penny, planting a quick kiss on her fiancé. Hey, they'd said their real goodbye in her room earlier.

'I'll defend the Galaxy for you!' Leonard replied with a smile.

Sheldon turned to Amy. 'So you're sure you can call when you get there?'

'I'm sure. The website assured me the parking lot had coverage.'

'Well call then. And you remember what I told you about shaking your boots in the morning to get rid of scorpions?'

'As it's not the desert, I'm not anticipating scorpions, but I'll be sure to do so just in case.'

'Even so, you're sure you have adequate water supplies?'

'I've followed the suggested protocol on the park's website.'

'And enough gas?'

'Just filled up now.'

'OK, well…call when you get there, and when you can.' They parted with a slightly shy, awkward smile in contrast to the hugs and kisses of their friends, but knew how much they'd miss each other all the same. The girls piled back into their cars then, and pulled away, leaving their men, one in his Thor costume at half past nine in the morning, with a huge stack of DVDs and games. For a minute or so, no-one spoke.

'OK!' announced Sheldon then, breaking the silence. 'We have to change, and then get started on Agents of Shield – I believe we agreed on alphabetical order?'

Once at the campsite, the girls taught Emily how to construct her tent, and busied themselves moving their equipment in, making their nylon homes for the night as comfortable as possible. It was still hot and sunny, and they were glad of the shady shoreline to sit in when they'd finished. The lake hummed with activity, full of families and couples out on the water, in the water, on the beach.

'Wow, this is beautiful!' smiled Emily. 'I have to come back here with Raj!'

'It is, isn't it?' Bernadette agreed. 'I can't believe those guys would rather sit indoors watching movies on a day like this!'

'As long as I don't have to, I'm cool!' Penny replied. 'OK, who's for a nice cold beer?'

'Bestie, do you really think alcohol is suitable in the heat?' Amy asked. She'd been busy building up a fire at the centre of their camp.

'Aw, c'mon Ames! We'll be fine – we're in the shade here, right?'

Amy looked over at her. She worried for her friend's possible dehydration, but Penny had a way of persuading her every time.

'Well, OK. Just one,' she conceded, glad she'd brought all that water.

At the same time, currently sitting around the TV in 4A was The Flash, Thor, a short Batman and a bespectacled Green Lantern. They'd decided to move on to the genesis of Batman, and Leonard and Sheldon had collected together a few 1960s original series episodes to begin with.

'I don't know what I prefer,' Leonard said, as he put the first one on. 'On one hand, the comedy in these episodes is more in keeping with the general perception of comic books, but on the other, the modern Dark Knight is more like the 1930s comic original…'

'I know,' Sheldon agreed. 'It's so hard to pick just one genre.'

'Hey, as long as the ladies are good, I don't care what the 'genre' is,' grinned Howard. 'I wish Bernie hadn't made me throw out that Halle Berry poster.'

'Oh yeah, the Halle Berry poster!' Raj remembered with a smile. 'That was great!'

'Excuse me, it was not!' Sheldon interrupted. 'Do you know how long it took for me to get to sleep under that when I stayed that night?'

'Took me a while some nights too!' Howard replied with a smile.

'It's not even as though she was much good as Catwoman,' Sheldon continued. 'There was much better.'

'OK, so who was the best?' asked Leonard. Howard turned to Sheldon in surprise – he hadn't told him?

'Well it's obvious,' Sheldon said, shifting slightly uncomfortably. 'As you'll see watching the original series, Julie Newmar's interpretation was clearly the best.'

'Oh yeah…so it's her character interpretation you like?' asked Leonard, a little smile on his face.

'Obviously,' Sheldon replied, sounding slightly touchy. 'Why else?'

'Well, I think she's got great bazoomas in that suit,' stated Raj, staring at the screen, 'and look at that ass, dude!'

At that, Sheldon stood up suddenly and snapped the DVD out. 'OK, if we want to stay on schedule, I suggest we move on to the first of the 90s revival movies!'

'What? We were watching that!' Howard protested. 'Just 'cause she's your 'favourite'…'

'And if you could watch it without allowing yourself to fixate on her physical appearance rather than the story as a whole, we could continue,' Sheldon countered.

He smartly clipped the DVD back into its box and stalked off with it, back to his room. The guys looked at each other.

'Please tell me he's gonna sleep with Amy soon,' muttered Howard, and the others couldn't help but agree. A couple of minutes later, Sheldon reappeared and put on the first Michael Keaton Dark Knight movie as if nothing had happened, and told himself that it hadn't. Being teased about Julie Newmar brought back too many embarrassing memories…

_Galveston, 1995_

'_Hey, why're we watching these stupid re-runs?' Missy asked, annoyed at missing Melrose Place._

'_They are not stupid,' Sheldon replied. He hadn't taken his eyes off the screen, or to be precise, her._

'_Yes, they are! They're like, 30 years old!'_

That wouldn't have been too bad, thought Sheldon, looking back as the opening titles for the first movie rolled. It was what came after that was mortifying…

'_Hey Sheldon, Mom's got dinner ready…' George Jr called, wandering unannounced into his brother's room. He heard the sudden rustle of bedclothes and the slam of something falling on the floor._

'_Get out, George!' Sheldon yelled at him, hastily pulling the covers up to his chin._

_George didn't move. He just stood in the doorframe, and Sheldon couldn't help but follow his gaze down to the floor by his bed. George stared at Sheldon's Complete Batman Collector's Edition Guide, and the lady whose picture it had fallen open at._

'_Well, well, well,' George said, a sly look on his face. 'So that's why we've been watching all those re-runs…guess you are a real boy, after all…'_

_Sheldon looked away, face burning. George knew exactly what he'd been doing…_

He only snapped himself back to the present when he heard Raj mention going home to fetch Cinnamon.

'That animal is not coming here! Who knows what it licked last?'


	11. Chapter 11

The girls had a lovely day by the lake. That afternoon, they'd been sunbathing, cooling off in the clear waters when it got too hot, chatting, reading and finishing Penny's beers. Later, Penny had even caught some fish for them, and was now roasting it over the fire as the evening shadows lengthened and the lake grew quieter.

'So any thoughts on the Batchelorette Party?' Bernadette asked just then.

'Well…' Penny considered, 'at the moment, I'm thinking Vegas – we never did go that time…'

'Yeah, well, sorry Bestie,' admitted Amy. 'I should be off the no-fly list soon.'

'That would be great!' Bernadette agreed. 'Are we gonna go with the original 'No husbands, no boyfriends, no rules' thing?'

'Oh, hell yeah!' Penny laughed. 'I want to be doing shots off a gladiator's six pack at Caesar's Palace and throwing up a shrimp buffet by the end of the night!'

The girls laughed. 'What about the shows, Penny? I saw Siegfried and Roy one time – loved it!' Emily said, taking a bite of her fish.

'Hey, as long as there's at least one oiled up guy in a thong there, I'm cool!' They chatted and ate some more, having moved on to a couple of bottles of wine.

'So Amy,' Penny asked a little later, 'you know that dream study thing? What happened with all that?'

'Well, in just about a month's time, I'll be speaking at a symposium for the American Journal of Neuroscience to present our preliminary findings…'

'Ooh, that's cool!' squeaked Bernadette. 'I love symposiums! I don't know if I'd go with Howie again though – it was kind of a problem at Big Sur…'

'Yeah, well, I'm really looking forward it, and Sheldon's coming too!'

'Really? Interesting…' Penny said, leaning forward. 'So, what's the deal? He's been a pretty good boy since he came back…'

Amy paused for a moment. She wasn't sure how much she wanted to admit yet. 'His probation period will be up by then, I guess, and yes, his behaviour since has been exemplary…'

The girls squealed. 'Ooh, so is this it?' Penny asked eagerly.

Amy looked into the fire. 'Maybe,' she admitted shyly. 'I don't know. He can still decide it's not what he wants, that's what we agreed.'

'Oh come on, that is so not gonna happen!' declared Penny.

'Right!' agreed Emily. 'You know, I haven't known him so long, but even under all the crazy I can tell he really likes you!'

'We'll see,' was all Amy would say, but she smiled, and her cheeks burned at the thought.

After a day of monsters, mutants and superheroes, 4A suddenly felt quiet as Howard and Raj left, ready to return the following day for the next instalment. Raj had to go home to Cinnamon, and Howard had been asked round to stay at his mother's that evening. With Bernadette away, he didn't really have any good reason not to, and Cinnamon needed to be let out and fed. This left Leonard and Sheldon clearing up the various DVDs and games that lay littered around the apartment amongst takeout containers. When they'd finished, Leonard was just about to leave when Sheldon stopped him.

'Leonard? You know, with Penny away, I guess you could have your old room back tonight?' he said, not wanting it to sound like he'd prefer not to be on his own that night.

'OK,' Leonard agreed, understanding what he meant. Sheldon had adapted to him not being there pretty well, but he agreed that tonight he could make an exception, and come 'home'.

'OK, well, you know where the spare sheets are. Goodnight!' Sheldon called, halfway to the bathroom already.

'Oh yeah, and as you come under the heading of 'Guest' now, there'll be some paperwork for you to sign tomorrow,' he finished, poking his head out the door.

Leonard shook his head with a resigned smile. Even now, after so much else had changed, it was rather nice to know that some things were just the same.

'Goodnight Sheldon!' he called, making his way to his old room.

By now, at Big Bear, the sun had gone, and bright stars, so much brighter than back in Pasadena, were scattered across the sky. Bernadette and Emily had retired to their tents for the night, as had most people around them, leaving Amy and Penny by the flickering fire.

Penny took a sip of her wine, and looked over at Amy. This was as good a time as any, Penny thought, even though she was still worried about bringing it up.

'Hey, Ames?' she asked.

'What up, Bestie?' Amy was rather sleepy herself now.

'You know that day…when Sheldon took off…'

Amy's mouth set in a harder line, making Penny more nervous. 'Yeah…'

'Yeah…well…I still feel kind of bad that we let him go…I'm sorry.'

Amy was quiet for a moment. 'I know,' she replied, after a while. 'I wish you hadn't, but I know why you did it.'

'I don't know what I'd have done if it was Leonard.' She rarely admitted to such feelings of vulnerability where her relationship was concerned, and Amy was surprised to hear her do so now.

'You're lucky. I don't think you'll ever have to worry about such things.'

'Yeah…well…I don't think you do any more. Not now,' Penny continued. 'I never thought I'd see the day, but that man loves you. We can all see it.'

'Really?' For so long, it had been too good to believe, but she was starting to. Actually, she started to back when Sheldon had kissed her that first time, and it had scared her. She'd thought she'd be the one to seduce him – the one in control. That kiss had proved how wrong she was.

'Really. You know, when you got mad, I thought I'd screwed up so bad, you wouldn't even want me around,' Penny continued, staring out over the lake.

'No,' Amy replied gently. 'I was mad, but I couldn't be without you, or any of you guys now.'

'So I'm still gonna be 'part of your life'?' asked Penny, quoting something Amy had said to her once.

'You bet, Bestie!'

Penny laughed, and finished her wine. 'Cool. You know, you're doing it right. With Sheldon, I mean.'

'In what respect?' Their relationship was so different to hers and Leonard's – Amy didn't understand.

'Waiting. I wish I had,' Penny said quietly. She paused for a moment. 'You know what my first time was like? Behind a truck at a local Rodeo. I was sixteen, and it was quick, and messy, and kind of hurt, and I was left thinking, 'That's it? That's what everyone goes on about?' You won't have that.'

Amy smiled then, and looked back at her friend. Her eyes shone behind their glasses in the firelight. 'I know.'

_He stepped through the door into the futuristic retro lounge, following her. With the cat-like grace that her name came from, she curled herself seductively over the large round bed, eyes bright as she stared back at him, daring him to join her. She didn't look quite the same though, as those bright eyes were glittering behind 60s style glasses with the frames swept back, as the woman behind their challenging stare was Amy, dressed in the same sleek, sheer costume he'd fallen for at 15, hip curving up sharply from the mattress, leaning on one arm._

'_So you want that saucer of milk, Mr Wayne?' she asked, her eyes never leaving his own. 'Or may I call you Bruce?'_

_Sheldon looked down at himself. He was Batman – how did she know? And why had he even agreed to be here – she was part of the scourge of the city he'd sworn to protect._

'_I came here to teach you the error of your ways,' he stated, trying to ignore the way the costume clung to every curve on her body. She smiled, red lips glistening in the dim light._

'_Is that a promise?'_

_Sheldon moved closer then, standing right in front of her, towering over her. 'I don't think you understand how serious this is. You're in a lot of trouble. One word from me and you're back in Arkham where you belong.'_

'_Oh, you wouldn't send me back,' she breathed, bringing her legs round, running her hand slowly down her thigh before peeling off first one high heeled boot, then the other. 'I'm no good to you there…am I?'_

'_Then you'll do what I say,' he ordered, his eyes on the toned, shapely calves she revealed. 'Lie down.'_

_Catwoman Amy smiled. 'Make me.'_

_Suddenly he was on the bed beside her, then over her. She was trouble, pure and simple, so why did he want her so much? Unable to resist, he ran his own hand up her thigh, revelling in the feel of her warm skin beneath him, and saw her shiver as it went higher, his hand stroking the line of her hip. _

_In response, Amy grabbed on to his Utility Belt, and pulled him to her, dragging him down into a hard, hot, angry kiss. Her look of annoyance when he broke it was if anything, even more arousing than the kiss itself, alternately soft and hard, devouring and sweet. A kiss was no punishment though…He sat up abruptly, pulling her with him. _

'_And what do you think you're doing?' she asked, flashing him a sidelong glance, breasts heaving with denied desire._

'_Your punishment,' he replied, indicating his lap. 'Over my knee – on your front.' She smiled, a devilish look in her eyes._

'_I have been very, very bad…'_

'_Stop talking. Get down.' Sheldon took a sharp breath as she draped itself over him, so close to the strain she could surely feel, and turned to look back expectantly. He looked down at her, the beautiful rounded curves of her rear on full display. He drew his arm back, and couldn't help but moan at the ecstatic cry that escaped her as he slapped that rounded, soft, velvet covered skin…She turned back once again, hair messed and pointy feline ears askew, and whispered just one word._

'_Harder…'_

Sheldon woke with a start. It struck him her last word couldn't be more appropriate, and he suddenly regretted asking Leonard to stay. He knew from experience that these walls were not thick enough to get away with such things, groaned and lay back, wishing it away, wishing these feelings would leave him in peace. What was this woman doing to him? Even so, Sheldon couldn't help wondering what Amy was doing just then, and imagined her curled up in the folds of her sleeping bag, hair cascading over her pale shoulders…

_Amy turned, and caught sight of her appearance in the mirror. Her hair, usually perfectly straight, fell about her in curls and flicks reminiscent of her namesake from Charlie's Angels. Looking down, the puffed sleeves of her blouse and her skirt were also somehow strange, not hers. Then she walked by an office, and all became clear. That was his office. The big shot oil baron she had to work with – the same one whose bright blue eyes would be the downfall of a saint. She'd seen so many women come and go from that office, and the swagger that man had infuriated and tempted her beyond measure. Well, this time things would be different – this time, he'd get a taste of his own medicine. She knocked at the door._

'_Sheldon Lee, can you explain just what you mean by these figures here?' she asked, presenting some sort of balance sheet. He turned in his chair, and silently looked her up and down before answering._

'_Nice way to speak to your boss, little lady,' he replied, a slightly amused look in his eyes. 'I bought 'em out – problem?'_

'_Only one,' Amy said, leaning her hands on his desk, facing him down. 'You think you can have anything you want, don't you? Well, now it's my turn.' Sheldon leaned back, and tipped his white Stetson back to look at her again, with a gaze that burnt her soul._

'_And how're you gonna do that?' His accent was always stronger when he wanted something. Provoked, Amy swung herself onto his desk, and slid into his lap, where she could already feel his desire hard against her. Her fingers traced down his bootlace tie, grabbing it at the end. She pulled him to her, and whispered 'You'll find out…'_

'_Really? Reckon I know…' His arrogance was breath-taking, and he pulled her back into a deep, hungry kiss that made her hot, wet…No. Her rules – not his. Amy broke the kiss, suddenly back on the desk in one fluid motion._

'_Get up,' she commanded, 'and get over there,' she continued, nodding to the edge of the desk opposite and pushing papers aside as she stretched her legs out before her. There was only the slightest hesitation before Sheldon hid a smile, and moved round to play her little game._

_Amy smiled as she saw him in position, and lowered her back, pulling her knees up. She lifted her thighs and gently drew her knickers up, then down, finally flicking the damp lace on the floor with one stiletto heel._

_She leaned up and looked Sheldon straight in the eye, feeling her bare skin cool against the faux mahogany and felt herself, warm, wet and open._

'_Ride me, Cowboy…'_


	12. Chapter 12

Amy woke, hot and sweating, constricted by her sleeping bag. For a moment, she didn't know where she was, as images of her dream raced through her mind, causing her to relive her fantasy in sharp focus. Had she really imagined that she'd ever…he'd ever…hoo…She let out the soft owl like cry gently, becoming aware of the aching, sticky wetness deep within her that demanded attention. What was this man doing to her? Could she really not go one night without…relief? It never used to be this way. Too much rejection over the years had taught her there wasn't much point in wanting such things, but even so, she'd always reached her limits, when her body's resistance had gloriously broken. Almost since meeting him though, those limits had been breached more often, more rapidly and more intensely than ever before.

Amy stared up at the thin material over her head. It was still dark, but there was just a hint of light in the darkness. The camp was quiet. Instinctively, she ran one hand over her breast, caressing it, teasing it beneath her big T-shirt. Her hand went lower. Maybe, if she was very quiet…All the same, she couldn't quite contain the breathy little gasps that shook her as she dipped it lower still, sliding slippery fingers over and inside herself, harder, faster, biting down on her lip to suppress the full force of release…

Memories of their subconscious fantasies stayed with Sheldon and Amy all day, with their friends occasionally catching them unawares, but both kept their secrets. It struck Amy that whoever had written the books she'd taken as Gospel in her teens about girlfriends sharing everything together had not enjoyed sexy dreams about Sheldon Cooper, and of course, from Sheldon's point of view any such thoughts were to be locked down as best he could, hopefully never to see the light of day. Unfortunately, that was getting very difficult now.

He thought she'd started it all with her confounded experiment to increase his feelings for her, but it had started long before that, if he was honest. Apparently engrossed in one of the Superman movies, Sheldon reflected that he'd felt something the first time she'd held his hand when she'd had the sense to reject Zach, on top of the profound relief that washed over him as she came back. Then there was the first time she'd kissed him. It should have horrified him. He shouldn't have closed his eyes and for the briefest moment, kissed back, and really shouldn't have felt that first swirling deep inside, and that certain – twitching – just for a moment.

The girls returned that evening, and conscious of the state of the apartment, Sheldon organised the guys to clear it up before they came up, and sent Leonard out to get them something to eat. He smiled as his phone lit up, indicating a text from Amy informing him that they were on their way. Suddenly they were all checking their phones more often; all pleased to have their girls back soon. However, Sheldon told himself, that was no excuse for the hippy-dippy rubbish he suspected the others (Raj especially) to be sending them. As if he'd do that! Maybe he'd just check his again…

'Hey sweetie!' called Penny, first into the apartment and wrapping herself in Leonard's arms. Sheldon looked at them, and concluded that Penny must somehow be able to sense the presence of food better than he thought, racing in first like that. He rolled his eyes as the hugging and kissing continued with the arrival of Emily and Bernadette – honestly, his home was being turned in a hippy love-in – and then Amy stepped through the door.

She'd caught the sun slightly on her neck, he noticed, although didn't doubt that she'd been assiduous in sun-cream application everywhere else, and her clothes were slightly crumpled from the drive and a day outside. Telling himself he was checking for wasp stings, Poison Ivy rash, anything, Sheldon's gaze slid down her body, and he felt his own react. She looked beautiful.

'Hello Amy,' he greeted, almost shyly.

'Hello Sheldon,' she replied, blinking away the dream images that had flooded back.

'I got you Kung Po Chicken – can I get you a beverage?'

'Green Tea would be welcome, thank you.'

He crossed to the kitchen to make it and take out her meal, evicted Howard from Amy's spot on the couch, and beckoned her over next to him. Sipping her tea, it struck Amy that this beverage was their kiss, and she blushed.

'So who's for Spiderman?' Howard asked then, extracting himself from Bernadette.

The following week was a busy one for Amy who was hard at work preparing for the upcoming symposium in just under a month's time, and Penny, starting rehearsals with an experimental theatre group in Malibu. Apparently, this group had made quite a name for itself on the alternative scene, and Penny hoped to be featured in a local What's On guide, as a reporter was due to visit. Amy's work, her Korean class, Pilates and wedding preparation all conspired to keep her busy, and once again the chance to get to the bottom of Sheldon's results slipped by.

Sheldon had been busy too. He was into the last few weeks of his sabbatical, and had to complete such mundane tasks as going to Caltech and getting various details changed on the system in preparation for his return, meeting his new Head of Department (maybe he'd be more open to suggestions than Gablehouser) and examining its facilities. He'd also been continuing his lessons with Mike, and slowly but surely, improving his ability to control a car. More importantly, after scouring the Internet, he'd found Amy the perfect present to wear at the symposium, and was giving serious thought to this month's Date Night. It was the last one before the probationary period was up, and he had to maximise his chances of a favourable outcome. No doubt she was in the process of compiling a comprehensive report on his performance over the past few months - he would expect nothing less.

While there, he met the rest of the guys for lunch.

'Hey Sheldon!' exclaimed Leonard. 'What brings you here?'

'While I should be able to concentrate on more important matters, I apparently have to complete certain administrative procedures before my return,' Sheldon explained, inspecting his lunch closely.

'Do you know of any new kitchen staff being hired recently?' he continued. He'd approved of each member of the Caltech catering staff before he left, but anything could have happened in his absence – what if their standards weren't acceptable?

'No, I don't think so,' replied Leonard, trying to avoid an impromptu kitchen inspection. Sheldon didn't need to make a scene before he was even officially due back.

'So, what did you think of the Astrophysics Department?' asked Raj eagerly. 'Pretty cool, right?'

Sheldon gave one of his rare smiles. 'Yes, actually it was,' and then thought of something. 'Do you know if Dr McNamara has a suggestion box?'

'Uh, no, sorry dude,' Raj shrugged.

'Well I think he should. I'll raise it with him when I start back.'

'Hey, did you guys see the email that went round this morning?' asked Howard then, not wishing to get into a debate about the need for a Cosmology/Astrophysics suggestion box.

'Oh yeah, about the Paintball tournament!' Leonard replied eagerly. 'Dr Harper is leaving next month to lecture in Europe, so the Geology Department are trying to organise an inter-faculty competition as a kind of send-off!'

'Seriously?' Sheldon asked incredulously. 'The gravel monkeys think they can take us on?'

'Yeah – you wanna play?' Howard continued. 'We can even get the girls involved – maximum of eight in a team!'

'But they're not members of the faculty.'

Howard shrugged. 'Doesn't say they need to be.'

'That's cool!' exclaimed Leonard. 'Penny's a great shot – her Dad always used to take her out hunting as a kid!'

'Yeah, and Bernie's Dad taught her down at the Precinct! What about it? Reckon Amy and Emily'd go for it?'

'Yeah, sure!' grinned Raj. 'She can pretend she's in a Zombie movie!' He was really quite proud to have a girlfriend who appreciated zombies, and other assorted creatures, even if it was a welcome change when she'd agreed to watch Chicago the other evening.

'What about Amy?' asked Leonard. 'Would she play?'

Sheldon hesitated a moment. 'I don't know,' he said, looking down at his food. What if she got hurt? Paintballing could leave nasty bruises, and he didn't want to think of her soft skin discoloured and painful. It would be nice though, to share something he loved with her, and she might surprise him.

'OK,' he finished, reaching a decision. 'I'll ask her. When is it?'

'Next weekend,' Leonard replied. 'I'm gonna go text Penny!'

Amy had been surprised to receive a text from Sheldon later that day inviting her to Paintball, and had been somewhat hesitant until she confirmed that the rest of the girls would be going. She blushed then as she remembered how pleased and excited he'd sounded when she called back and told him she would play.

Smiling, she returned her attention to the results from the latest batch of REM study test subjects. Interestingly, a number of them showed the same tell-tale spike in activity that she'd seen in Sheldon's results, and a high proportion of the subjects concerned reported experiencing the symptoms mentioned by Dr Mee. Amy looked at the graphs thoughtfully. Maybe she could borrow the EEG equipment again, using herself as a control? It wouldn't form part of the official study, of course, but could help with understanding Sheldon's results. She looked it up in the equipment register, and arranged to borrow it the following week. Of course, Amy considered, she may get nothing from it, but if her dreams at Big Bear were anything to go by, it was worth a try.

The following Saturday dawned quite cloudy and humid, and by the afternoon, as the gang were due to start the competition there was a hint of rain in the air. Gathered with the rest of their team in a small corrugated iron hut, Amy hid a smile as she witnessed 'Major Cooper' briefing his troops. She'd noticed the little insignia he'd presumably sewn on himself, and couldn't help but think how cute it was. Silly, but cute. She rather liked hearing him take command too, and he looked quite nice in 'uniform'.

'And so in order to maximise the advantage we have in Penny and Bernadette's shooting skills,' he ordered, nodding at the two girls, 'I suggest you take the tree line approach over here and then you, Howard, Raj, you cover with fire from here,' he continued, pointing at a map of the park on his iPad.

'Leonard, Emily, you take the path down by the stream, and you, Amy, stay with me,' Sheldon finished, pretending not to notice the grin that passed between Howard and Raj as he said it.

'If the hut's a-rockin', don't come a-knockin'!' Howard muttered to Raj as they left, causing an explosive snort of laughter that earned him a glare from Sheldon.

'Raj, do you want to give our position away?'

SPLAT! Amy couldn't help but feel a little surge of adrenaline later as she caught one of the Geology team just emerging from behind a tree. She got one! This game wasn't so bad after all! Of course, she was with Sheldon, and caught the look of admiration in his eyes as he noticed her efforts. Amy had her hair back in a high ponytail, like Penny, but to his mind she looked so much better. And she was bringing the feldspar jockeys _down_! Sheldon felt a kick of adrenaline that had nothing to do with the game as she ran up to join him, mesmerised by the way parts of her jiggled and bounced.

'Hey Lieutenant Fowler!' he exclaimed, greeting her with a smile. 'Good job!'

'Lieutenant Fowler? Really?' Amy laughed.

'Battlefield promotion,' Sheldon replied simply. 'You're doing great out there!' Their eyes met, but the moment was broken by a sudden clap of thunder and Geology reinforcements rushing through the trees.

'C'mon,' he ordered, indicating a high ridge above them. 'We can see them better up there!' As they reached the top of the slope, the heavens opened, and the storm that had been threatening all day finally broke. The rain burst onto the dry earth and twigs underfoot, making it damp and slippery. Under attack now, they raced from tree to tree along the ridge, every now again returning rapid fire. Sheldon's praise, coupled with their adversaries closing on them from behind, sent Amy's pulse racing too, and she didn't notice the slope falling away beneath her, suddenly skidding and sliding right into a tree.

She let out a sharp cry as the visor smacked against her forehead, and felt her eyes close, dimly aware of raised voices and rushing feet.

'Amy! Amy, are you OK?'


	13. Chapter 13

On seeing her tumble down the slope, Sheldon had almost fallen down it after her in his rush to help her – save her. Yelling to all nearby to stop the game, he collapsed to his knees at her side, seemingly unconscious of the wet dirt beneath him. Right now, it really didn't matter. Nothing did, as long as she was all right. The game safely paused; Sheldon gently removed Amy's helmet and visor, and, dreading the thought of blood, closed his eyes briefly before he could bear to look. When he did, he noted with relief that the helmet had done its job, and all that was on Amy's forehead was a bluish-purple bruise just above her eye. He gave silent thanks that she had taken the precaution of wearing contacts that day – he'd always thought Leonard should, when doing this – and that she wasn't bleeding.

'Amy, Amy,' he repeated, a slight hint of hysteria to his voice nonetheless. 'Amy, are you OK?' He dragged her up onto his knees, wanting to get her off the damp ground. She needed shelter – the rain hadn't stopped, and was soaking into her costume and running through her hair.

'Leonard!' Sheldon cried out as his friend rushed up. 'Help me get Amy in the hut, c'mon!' The two men between them managed to pull the woman up, but she was too dizzy to walk, and her eyes were still closed.

'This won't work,' Leonard puffed. 'We need to make a kind of chair.'

'Oh yeah, I know!' added Penny at his heels. 'You and Sheldon sort of link arms and she sits on them!'

It was testament to the emergency that Sheldon allowed Leonard to grab his arms without hesitation and, after a fashion, made it to the nearest hut. Amy was laid down on the floor, and Sheldon took her head and rested it in his lap. Their friends stared, wide-eyed. Not only were they concerned for Amy, they had never seen such willing touch and contact from Sheldon and looked on, amazed.

'Leonard, we need to go to the Emergency Room,' Sheldon ordered. 'Go get your car. Howard, you let the Geology team know we forfeit.' Howard nodded in shock, and hurried off, accompanied by Bernadette.

'Raj, go to your car and get Amy some water. Penny, stay here with me – she'll want you here when she wakes up. Emily, you help Raj.'

All the activity caused Amy to stir then, and she slowly opened her eyes, blinking with surprise in the dim light. She could see Sheldon looking down at her though, and it slowly filtered into her consciousness that she was pretty much on his lap. Feeling somewhat woozy, she giggled.

'Hi Cuddles!'

Penny wanted to laugh at the release of tension and the name Sheldon hated, but knew she couldn't. Sheldon ignored it – she was clearly not thinking straight – and without thinking, grabbed her hand.

'Amy, are you OK?' he asked anxiously again.

'Uh, yeah…did we get those guys?' Amy made to sit up, and only got so far before deciding that her head hurt too much to try it.

'Yeah, yeah, you did great!' Penny assured her. 'But just…stay there, OK Sweetie? You fell and hit your head, and Sheldon's gonna look after you.' The glance she shot asked it as a question, but one look at him was enough to know that he would.

'Oh... OK…hey, did we win?'

'Amy, stop talking.' That was Sheldon, apparently sufficiently back in control of his faculties to take charge of his patient. 'It doesn't matter. You're going to the Emergency Room, little lady, right now.'

As Leonard's car drew up, Penny and Sheldon walked Amy over and got her in. She was conscious of the rest of the guys gathered around as she clambered inside, and in her dozy state, simply grinned and waved. Sheldon unusually sat with her in the back (where he generally complained at length about car sickness to the extent that none of the guys would have him back there) while Penny sat with Leonard at the front.

'Bye guys!' Amy called as they pulled away, to replies hoping that she would be better soon.

Once at the hospital, Sheldon found it nearly impossible to wait. His girlfriend needed to be seen – now. He knew concussion could have serious effects, and felt immeasurably guilty for having asked her to play in the first place.

'Why did you let the girls play?' he demanded, glaring at Leonard. 'They shouldn't even have been there!'

'Hey, buddy, calm down,' Leonard replied. He knew where this accusation was coming from. 'They wanted to play – it was an accident. She'll be OK.'

Still holding on to Amy's hand, Sheldon turned then as Penny reappeared, with a cup of water and damp paper towels.

'You want a drink, Ames?' she asked gently, offering the cup.

'Uh, yeah, sure,' she managed. She wasn't sure of much right now, but she did know that her hand was in Sheldon's, and couldn't help but wonder at how safe and warm it felt. That was however, nothing compared to the surprise she felt as his other hand reached up to her forehead holding the paper towels Penny had given him, gently cooling and numbing the swelling building there.

It was with relief all round that the doctor informed them that Amy had nothing more a mild concussion, and assured them that with rest she would be fine by the morning.

'OK Amy, let's get you home,' said Leonard, as they made their way back to the car. When they arrived at Amy's apartment, she was looking quite a bit better. Even so, Penny was pleased and touched to see how protectively Sheldon held her and guided her up the path.

'Hey Sheldon?' Leonard called, just before they came to the front door. 'You need a ride home tonight?'

Sheldon turned to him with an expression of utter condescension – how could the man be so dense? All that time with Penny was clearly ruining his otherwise adequate brain.

'Leonard. Amy could suffer the after effects of concussion at any time; therefore I am bound, not only by the Boo-boos and Ouchies clause of the Relationship Agreement, but also by the wider social convention to attend to my girlfriend in her hour of need. Why on Earth would I need a ride tonight?'

Leonard listened to this mini speech, and grinned. Sheldon was clearly feeling better too – invoking both their weird agreement and social convention to justify staying with his girlfriend? Well, who was he to argue?

'OK, well, call tomorrow if you do,' he replied, and turned to leave with Penny.

'Bye Sweetie!' Penny called. 'Hope you're feeling better soon!'

'Thank you, I'm sure I will,' Amy replied, not quite managing to hide the smile on her face as Sheldon took her hand again to help her inside.

'Yes,' Sheldon paused for a moment. Such expression was still not easy for him, but Leonard had earned it. 'Thank you.'

Once in her apartment, Sheldon took a long, appraising look at Amy. It was meant to be out of concern, but it didn't stay that way. Still in her Paintball outfit, the belt pulled her further in at the waist than usual, and he remembered how the curves of her rear had been made more prominent by the outfit as she'd raced ahead on occasion, causing him to imagine chasing after her and pulling her behind the nearest tree…or laying her down in the nearest hut. Amy didn't often wear trousers – he liked that about her. Her floral dresses and pencil skirts were so…feminine...but these had shown off over her curves beautifully, and he couldn't look away.

'Sheldon?' Her voice broke into his thoughts.

He jumped with a start. What was he doing? He was supposed to be looking after her, and here she was, just standing here, without even a cup of tea!

'Can I get you a beverage?' he asked then, remembering himself. Amy smiled, and accepted his offer.

'And sit down!' Sheldon commanded, patting the couch. 'You need to rest your head, and I need to get you a cushion and sing Soft Kitty to you!'

'Oh, I will, but let me go change,' Amy replied, making for her room. 'I really need to get out of these clothes…'_Never thought I'd say that with you here_, she thought with a smile. She had no idea just how much of an effect her words had, and once she was safely ensconced in her room, Sheldon let himself take a deep, ragged breath and leaned back against her bookcase for support. She was causing his imagination to run wild, all thoughts swirling around the memory of the last time he looked after her, and the fantasies it had fuelled ever since.

Amy peeled the damp green outfit from her body, and then her underwear. What she really wanted to ask for was another bath, but even in her woozy state knew she couldn't push that just now. She'd drink her tea, and have a shower instead – on her own. Rummaging through her drawers, she noticed that her larger, more concealing summer nightdress wasn't there, and remembered she'd put it in the laundry basket earlier. She couldn't wear her big, long-sleeved nightdresses either, as in spite of the storm; the evening was still warm and sticky. All that remained was her smaller pyjama top and shorts, covered in a whimsical pattern of a starry night. She laid them out on the bed and looked at them. Were they appropriate? Maybe hidden under her dressing gown…but as she put it on, noticed immediately how hot it felt. Still, she had to have something to wear to the bathroom, and pulled it tight.

Emerging from her room, in nothing but that dressing gown, she felt suddenly shy. She felt his eyes on her as soon as she stepped out, and hesitated to meet them.

'Uh…do you mind if I take a shower?' she asked, staring at one of the monkeys resting on the bookcase.

Sheldon shook his head, temporarily unable to speak. He didn't know she was naked under there, and it was probably just as well, as his cheeks flushed at the thought of Amy under the steamy water, soapsuds caressing and dripping from her body, wet hair down her back…It took everything he had not to take her in his arms just then, and wished, more than anything, that he could be in there with her.

By the time she was dressed in her clean pyjamas, damp hair drying, as she sipped her tea, Sheldon felt he really should have calmed down, but he hadn't. He noticed how her hair dried in previously unseen waves, quite different from its usual perfect straightness, and the soft skin of her thighs disappearing into her shorts. Keeping focused on looking after Amy was hard…he shifted uncomfortably at that thought, more than aware of how appropriate the word was, and hoped she wouldn't notice the strain barely contained below his belt. It hadn't even been this hard last time…or maybe he'd just been better at denying it then.

'Are you hungry?' he asked then, in a vain attempt to keep his mind on normal concerns.

'Yeah, a little,' Amy replied, aware of the brush of cotton over her breasts and the slight pull of her shorts between her thighs in a way she'd never noticed before. She finished her tea, set the mug down, and lay back on the cushions.

'OK, I'll order some pizza,' Sheldon said, reaching for his phone. It wasn't the meal he wanted to give her, but a cursory glance through her cupboards and fridge earlier showed she didn't have the requisite ingredients to make his mother's fried chicken properly – he'd have to make that another day, maybe with some Pecan Pie to go with it.

'That'd be great,' she smiled lazily.

Sheldon placed their order, and noticed her cold cloth had slipped to the floor. He hesitated slightly, then considered that Amy's housekeeping routine was exemplary, and picked it up. She'd be better off with a new one though, all the same, and went to fetch one. A couple of minutes later, Amy, who'd closed her eyes, opened them slowly to find Sheldon dabbing at her bruise again. He'd put a bit of ice in the cloth this time, and it felt wonderfully cool against her tender skin. The sensation sent little sparks burning and racing through her, accelerating her pulse and concentrating somewhere just below her waist, deep inside. Amy looked up, and her breath caught at the darkened shine in his eyes as he attended to her. I love you, Sheldon Lee, she thought dreamily.

That night, Sheldon stayed with Amy, both from concern for her well-being and a powerful need not to let her go. It was even hard to leave her in her own bed, Sheldon reflected, He'd seen to it that she had water and adequate pain relief within easy reach, and then, a question in his eyes, sat gingerly beside her.

Her own eyes, heavy and sleepy now looked back, answering him. _It's OK_.

'I haven't sung to you,' Sheldon almost whispered to her, drinking in the sight of his beautiful girlfriend's features illuminated in the dim light.

'Will you sing to me now?'

Sheldon nodded, and smiled. Of course. Anything.

'Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur. Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr, purr, purr.'


	14. Chapter 14

'What do you want this table up here for anyway?' Leonard puffed, having just hauled the coffee table from 4A up to the roof. 'And who's asthmatic here?' he continued, taking a heavy drag from his inhaler.

'Well now you realise the folly of buying that other one,' Sheldon replied smartly. 'I'm sure you're glad you didn't have to drag that one up here!'

Leonard conceded the point, but still wanted to know why on Earth Sheldon was intent on setting up the coffee table and garden chairs on the roof. 'So what's this stuff doing here?'

'We're not done yet.' Sheldon didn't answer the question. 'You know I asked you to bring that laser home?'

'Yeah…I was wondering about that…' Sheldon in charge of a laser was a somewhat worrying prospect.

'Well it needs to be set up like it was when we shot it off the moon. Come on, bring it up!'

'What, you're doing the same experiment? Why?'

'Because Amy's never seen it,' Sheldon said, as if that explained everything. 'I hadn't met her then, so thought she'd like to see it now. I'm sure she'd appreciate it more than Penny and that troglodyte Zach we had here last time.'

Leonard grinned. 'He was an idiot – blowing up the moon…what's with the table though? You gonna put the laptop on it?'

'Yeah.' There was the slightest hesitation in Sheldon's reply, and it made Leonard look up.

'OK…I'll go set it up,' he said, wondering what his friend was really up to.

As it turned out, Amy had to wait a little longer than expected for the EEG equipment. It was meant to be available on Wednesday, but the students using it had made some mistake with their data and had to hold on to it until Thursday. It occurred to her, however, that this was fortunate, as it meant that she would be able to conduct the experiment directly after Date Night, thereby maximising her chances of getting something 'interesting' showing up. She'd been asked around to 4A, but Sheldon wouldn't tell her what they were doing, just that she shouldn't eat before she arrived.

She was fully recovered now, of course, following the events of last Saturday. She would be – she'd been well looked after. Amy smiled as she thought back to Sunday. Sheldon had stayed that night, even though he was really too tall to sleep comfortably on her couch and she'd sneaked a peek in at him early that morning. He'd texted Leonard to bring round some more clothes in the end, and was curled up in blue and white plaid under her Afghan rug. His hair had fallen slightly into his eyes, and it was all she could do not to gently stroke it away. It really had looked lovely when it had grown out a little that time, but it always did. Then, as now, she'd watched him silently from her kitchen, hardly daring to breathe lest she wake him and lose her chance to just gaze unobserved. He looked so peaceful in sleep – like a little boy – but she was all too aware that he wasn't.

Reluctantly, she'd left him, wondering what his dreams were saying. She had to find out sometime soon, and had found herself considering them more and more ever since hers on the camping trip. Was there any chance Sheldon would ever…think of her that way? She'd love to believe it, but didn't dare. Snuggling back down under her own covers, she thought back to that dream, not the first she'd had about him, but they were surprising few and far between, and generally incoherent and poorly remembered – not like that one. And now the man who'd provoked it was mere feet away…if only she didn't feel too groggy to do something about it…

Amy fell back to sleep, and didn't wake up until nine when she heard movement coming from her kitchen. On the other side of her door, Sheldon poured them each a cup of tea, and was about to take hers through when nerves suddenly got the better of him. As if it hadn't been…well…hard…enough last night, sleeping on cushions that smelled of Amy's dandruff shampoo and perfume, now he was expected to calmly ignore her in bed? What if he went in there and couldn't? Apart from anything else, he'd be breaking the rules and probably lose her then and there. Still, he couldn't let her go without breakfast, and taking a deep breath, set the cup down on the floor before knocking to come in.

Knock, knock, knock, 'Amy!' Knock, knock, knock, 'Amy!' Knock, knock, knock, 'Amy!'

She turned as she called him in, her heart pounding. She never imagined she'd see him in the morning like this, and couldn't help but let her eyes rake hungrily over him.

'Good morning Amy,' Sheldon said, shyly. He didn't want to dwell on the fact she was in bed and wearing so little. Unusually, her forearms were exposed, and as she looked up at him subconsciously pulled the covers up closer, although she wasn't sure if that was for his benefit or hers. Either way, they were both grateful in that moment that her body was hidden.

'Would you like breakfast?' he asked, his eyes drawn to the lightly freckled skin so often concealed by wool and polyester.

'Thank you,' she smiled, almost as shyly. He'd made her a great breakfast, and later that day Penny was sent out to buy the required Fried Chicken ingredients.

'Hi sweetie!' Penny called as Sheldon let her in. 'How are you? Are you OK now?'

'Hi bestie!' Amy replied brightly. She'd been installed on the couch with her feet on a cushion, with strict instructions not to move except for bathroom breaks or naps in bed. 'I'm much better -Sheldon's been great!'

'Ooh!' squealed Penny. 'So he's been looking after you? That is so sweet!'

'Penny, don't wear Amy out asking questions!' Sheldon ordered, anxious to get Penny mobilised and not waste time sitting around chatting.

'Sheldon, I'm just asking!' Penny countered indignantly. 'And,' she continued, smiling altogether too knowingly as she leant on Amy's kitchen counter, 'I hear you've been doing a pretty good job!'

'Of course I have. I've been sick, I know what to do,' Sheldon replied arrogantly, and handed her some money. 'Here's a hundred dollars. Go to Target and get what's on this list. Exactly what's on this list. No substitutes!' He tapped his pen on the words for emphasis.

'O-kay,' replied Penny, squinting at the paper a bit. _Her_ writing was better than Sheldon's. She could only assume he'd been too busy solving the mysteries of the universe in 3rd Grade to trouble himself with paying attention to handwriting exercises.

Nonetheless, Amy was pleased to note that the blonde goddess she was once again able to call her bestie had come up trumps, and their lunch had been amazing. She'd have to let Mary know, and next time, she'd have to make Sheldon cook enough for Penny too, rather than shoo her out. That afternoon it had been just the two of them again, companionably reading or watching TV.

'Hey, look, 'Back To The Future's on,' Amy said suddenly, and looked up. Somehow, the look in her eyes just then made Sheldon blush and look away. She didn't seem to realise, but she'd caught him staring – well, daydreaming, really – as he'd let himself dart ever increasing glances over her hair, legs…further up…Was this ever going to stop? Thank goodness for the distraction that was time travel!

'Oh yeah!' he replied, trying to sound particularly enthusiastic, as if the way her skirt rode up slightly when she moved couldn't be further from his mind. 'We've got the Trilogy, but this is the original and best!'

'Cool, you wanna watch?' It wasn't until much later in the film, that Sheldon found himself irresistibly drawn to Amy again. He caught the rapt expression on her face as she watched Marty's parents dance for the first time, having just saved his mother from Biff. He wondered what she was thinking. No doubt it was an enjoyable film, even if there were certain plot holes and inconsistencies, but she seemed to be getting something more from it. Putting all his considerable intellect to the problem, Sheldon suddenly remembered – dancing. They'd gone dancing once, after she and the other girls had practically dragged him there. He'd expected to hate it, like he always had as a child, but there'd never been a pretty brunette with sparkling green eyes looking up at him then – not like that night. He'd heard that song somewhere else too – it was one of Meemaw's. Maybe they could dance again…somewhere …

As Amy stepped into the apartment on Thursday, she detected the unmistakable flavours of spaghetti and hot dogs, and smiled. That meal was special. Other women might win their men with a big steak dinner or apple pie, but this one had won hers.

'Hi Sheldon,' she called, taking a seat next to his on the couch. 'That smells good!'

'It does, doesn't it?' he answered proudly, and dished it out. He brought hers over, but didn't put it down – he couldn't.

'Sheldon, where's the table?' Amy asked, fearing another furniture related argument had blown up between 4A and 4B.

'It's upstairs,' he said, holding her plate out. 'And please could you take this? It's highly inadvisable to carry too much upstairs.'

'OK,' Amy replied, uncertainly. 'When you say 'upstairs'….?'

'On the roof. That's where the table is. And after taking nearly two hours today to find a replacement spot up there this afternoon, we're not sitting down here!'

She took her plate, a bemused smile on her face as she followed Sheldon up to the roof. Alternate dining arrangements? What was going on?

Her smile grew as she took in the sight that met her when they stepped out. On the coffee table, were two jars, one containing glow sticks, and one flowers. She'd never received flowers in her life and certainly wouldn't have expected them from Sheldon.

'Sit down,' he said, indicating the garden chairs.

'Sheldon, this is great!' Amy said, her eyes darting around. 'And flowers?'

'Yes, Raj came up with those, or to be more accurate, he came up with a dozen red roses. These aren't roses.'

'What are they?'

'Californian poppies.' He really hoped she wouldn't ask why. To admit that they seemed a better choice for his California girl was far too hippy dippy to even contemplate.

'Oh…thank you…' Amy could say no more, as she suspected she knew why, but knew better than to make him say it. He loved her. Sheldon Cooper was in love with her.

'And what are those?' she continued, after a couple more mouthfuls of spaghetti.

'Glow sticks. Raj also suggested candles, but on a bitumen treated roof that seemed extremely hazardous. I had these in my emergency kit.'

'Emergency kit? What kind of emergency?'

'Oh, all sorts!' Sheldon replied enthusiastically. 'In the spirit of being prepared for every eventuality, I hold quarterly drills for, until recently, myself and Leonard, to save us in case of such disasters as fire, flood, earthquakes, nuclear accident and zombie Armageddon.'

Amy hid a smile. Zombie Armageddon? 'Well, we always had earthquake drills at school – the other kids never used to take them too seriously, but I did.'

'I know! I had the same experience with hurricane drills – anyone'd think they didn't care about the possibility of being blown into Louisiana! I'll have to show you the rest of my stuff later!' he continued, and suddenly looked down at his food as it occurred to him that meant letting Amy back into his room.

Amy took a sip of her sparkling mineral water. Wisely, Sheldon had considered the possible dangers of alcohol on a roof, and she was glad of it. Just then, she noticed some sort of equipment in the corner.

'And what's that?'

'That's one of Leonard's lasers. Did you know that by shooting a laser directly at the moon, as it is tonight; will enable us to prove the human presence there?'

'No, how?'

'Astronauts on various missions left small items of debris up there. The laser bounces off them, and we can see it here on that laptop!'

'Cool!' She was as impressed as he'd hoped, and when they'd finished, Sheldon handed her some glasses and, following Leonard's instructions, shot the high powered beam up at the moon. Seconds later, a spike on the graph jumped up.

'Wow, that's great! When did you guys do this?'

Sheldon didn't answer for a moment. 'Just before I met you. In fact, this is kind of how I met you.'

Amy looked puzzled. 'You met me at a coffee shop.'

'Yes, but it was during this experiment that Raj and Wolowitz found the dirty sock that made me go there,' he replied, and Amy blushed as she understood why she was really there.

'So, you wanna come see my emergency kit?' Sheldon asked then, suddenly shy. Amy agreed, wondering if that was really all he meant. Surely it was, but…

It was. '…And this is the safety equipment…' he continued proudly, putting a helmet bearing a small lion on his head and shrugging on a fluorescent jacket.

'Right,' Amy looked at him, her eyes slightly darkened. He had it all covered. Emergency rations, more glow sticks, firelighters…and looked both a little ridiculous and rather hot…


	15. Chapter 15

'This one was Leonard's,' Sheldon said, taking another helmet. He hesitated a moment, and then lightly placed it on Amy's head.

'Cool,' Amy managed, trying to ignore how gently he'd set it on her and the slight brush of his fingertip against her ear as he drew his hand back. 'So when's the next drill?'

'It should be next month,' Sheldon answered, 'but I'll have to re-write the procedures now Leonard's moved out. Maybe,' he continued, looking at her intensely, 'I ought to write them to include you…if you're gonna be round for Date Nights and all.'

Amy smiled, and felt her heart pounding as she looked back. Why was that so sexy? Was he even trying to be seductive? Her gaze followed him as he pulled something else out – another jacket.

'This was Leonard's jacket,' Sheldon said, shaking it out. 'He hated wearing it though – thought he was 'too cool' and that everyone was looking at us!'

'No respect for proper procedure,' Amy agreed, blushing. Her blush deepened as Sheldon looked her over appraisingly. 'You're about his size – you wanna try it on?'

Her breath caught as Sheldon held up the jacket for her to slide her arms into it. As she did, so did his. Suddenly he remembered a lecture Amy had given him on primate use of pheromones at the zoo once – he hadn't understood how it could work then, but considering that jacket was now impregnated with her perfume he was beginning to get the idea.

'How do I look?' The question almost came as a whisper.

_Beautiful_, Sheldon thought, without hesitation. That was the honest answer, but not one it felt safe to give. 'They sure suit you better than Leonard,' he murmured, not daring anything else. She was so close. Long suppressed emotions were threatening to burst to the surface and he couldn't let them.

Amy's breathing had grown heavy, and she trailed her fingers gently over the fluorescent nylon in an effort not to show it. Nearly four months ago, when she'd still been angry, she couldn't have imagined how hard resistance would be, even considering she'd had the briefest tastes of honey already. They had three weeks left – no more. How she'd ever concentrate on that presentation she didn't know, but right now, she had to go – before she couldn't.

As if he'd heard her thoughts, she heard Sheldon say, with some effort, that it was getting late, and that he really ought to let her go home. He didn't want her to, but if that's what it took to stop him pulling her up onto his bed right now, he had no choice.

'Yeah,' Amy sighed, slowly peeling off the jacket and setting the helmet down by her side. 'I better go.' They rose together and walked out to the door. 'Goodnight Sheldon. Thank you for everything tonight.'

'Goodnight, Amy Farrah Fowler.' She loved it when he used her full name. Oh, he was really not making this easy! She was just about to go when Sheldon stopped her.

'Amy, wait. You haven't taken your flowers.' A few minutes later, she was walking in a daze down to her car, Californian poppies in her arms. Time to get the equipment set up…

_She'd always been scared when tremors hit as a child, and woke as soon as this one struck. She wasn't in her own bed though, and for a moment, the dislocation threatened to scare her even more, until she heard quick, heavy footsteps._

'_OK, Dr Fowler, emergency protocol 7A, earthquake drill, is currently in force, please follow all instructions to the letter as of now,' Sheldon announced, stepping briskly into her room, a sudden light from outside bringing him into sharp focus. She sat up, startled, as her gaze ran down the man before her, safety jacket and helmet on as procedure demanded…but procedure appeared not to include a shirt. Still stunned, Amy couldn't resist as he held a hand out to her and pulled her to stand mere inches from him, her bewilderment turning to shock as she noticed she was only clad in a few wisps of leopard print frills herself._

'_Well, come on, put your jacket on!' Sheldon commanded, holding it out for her. She slipped into it, and felt a helmet placed on her head._

'_What happened?' she asked, fighting to concentrate as she was pulled close against him, soft warm skin on hers._

'_4.9 on the Richter Scale, that's what happened. You ain't goin' anywhere tonight.'_

'_So what do we do?'_

'_In case of aftershocks, it's best all members of a household gather together,' Sheldon informed her, taking her by the hand, 'and stay in a designated place of safety.'_

_She was powerless to speak as he almost pulled her into his own room and locked the door._

'_The building appears structurally sound,' he continued, 'but the power could go out at any time.' As he said it, the lights above them flickered and died. She heard a crack, and suddenly their bodies were bathed in a warm, green glow._

'_That's all the light we got now, little lady,' Sheldon announced, lightly tracing the glow over her shoulders and down her bare arm, 'and there's no heating either.'_

'_So what do you suggest?' Amy breathed, as the glow moved back up, tracing the line of her breasts._

'_The Arctic solution.' The ground shook below them once again as Sheldon pulled the covers back, and taking her hand once again, pulled her down alongside him. 'In such situations, there's only one course of action – share bodily warmth.' He'd knocked the helmet from her head as they lay down, but kept his on, and she pulled him close to her, hard, hungrily._

'_What if it's a big shock?' she asked. 'One that could bring the whole building down?' He didn't answer, but his hot, urgent kiss burning her was answer enough. Then they had tonight – they had tonight, no time to waste, no questions to ask. Amy sat up, and tore the jacket from her, pulling the flimsy bra with it, and felt hard, almost roughened caresses over her breasts, down to her stomach, over her thighs. She moaned as she felt her dampened, silky knickers slide down to be lost somewhere among the covers, and reached up to pull at the belt buckle and zipper she could feel under considerable strain. She needed to feel him in her, deep inside that hot, wet, secret place that burned at his touch…needed him harder, faster…now…_

Her harsh, raspy breathing woke Amy then – that and the pulsating ache between her thighs. Slowly letting her eyes focus as best they could in the dim light, she rolled onto her back, and then pushed her hot, somewhat sweaty covers aside. Her heart was racing, and she almost forgot the equipment attached to her head. It was only when she uncharacteristically pulled her nightdress over it that she noticed. Lying there, naked, bathed only in the diffuse glow of a street lamp outside, she considered it for a moment, and decided she didn't care. If these results were going to show sexual arousal, she'd give them sexual arousal.

Darting a glance towards the door, Amy remembered she didn't have her toothbrush in here. She'd broken even before she'd left the previous evening and done it straight after her shower, necessitating another one in the process, and right now, she didn't have five minutes to waste. Anyway, sometimes a girl could do things better on her own…what was that about needing him hard inside her…She didn't have to be quiet this time, and wasn't. Neither did she have to worry about the force of her release as she indulged the cravings of her fantasy and the man that fuelled it.

Panting hard, Amy eventually felt the waves that rocked her slow and settle. If that had been a real experiment, she'd have just ruined her results. Just as well it wasn't…she couldn't have resisted tonight. It was no surprise, therefore, when in a quiet moment the following afternoon, Amy ran her EEG findings through the relevant programme, and got exactly the spike she was expecting. The results, and the very personal evidence she'd observed last night, all pointed to only one conclusion: Sheldon's dreams showed the same thing. The question that remained, was did they concern her?

Amy sat quite still for a moment. She hoped they did, but how to ask in such a way that Sheldon didn't freak out? She knew all too well how private a question it was, and so maybe…maybe it was best not asked just yet. However, the EEG readings she taken from him previously would certainly form an appendix to the 'report' that she intended to present him with at the end of his four month probation…that really wasn't far away. She smiled, and felt a little nervous at the same time. As it was, she had real, definitive proof of his love for her now, from so many things over the past few months, and wanted to 'reward' his efforts. How he'd want her to, though, she didn't want to guess. She'd learnt a long time ago not to make assumptions where Sheldon was concerned, so maybe she shouldn't now, but so much was telling her otherwise…she ought to see the girls. Tomorrow – after Penny's wedding dress shopping – and she'd organised it this time, so she was _definitely_ going!

'So how many bridesmaids are you having?' Emily asked, as Penny rifled through various pieces of (to Amy's eyes) ivory perfection that could only be enhanced by having her bestie's body grace them.

'Well, there's Amy, who's Maid of Honour,' Penny replied, smiling over at her. She'd learnt her lesson, and wouldn't take her kooky friend for granted again, 'and Bernadette, then my sister and her daughter. Oh, and my sister's pregnant again, so she's probably gonna need a bigger dress.'

'Does your brother have any kids?' Bernadette asked, looking at a pale blue dress that reminded her of her Cinderella outfit. It would need some taking up though…

'Yeah, two boys,' Penny said, pulling a dress out to take a closer look. 'His girlfriend left after he went back into rehab though.'

'Oh, I'm sorry,' Emily apologised. 'Will he be there?'

'Uh, I don't know yet, all depends on how he's doing. How about this one?' she continued, holding up a dress that appeared fairly simple, but with some beautiful stitching on the bodice and beading scattered over the skirt.

'Beautiful!' Amy responded enthusiastically, training her camera over it in detail. 'Now go get changed!' It probably wasn't strictly necessary that she was wearing her tiara in order to 'test' it in conjunction with any possible dress, but she was anyway.

'Amy, what do you think of powder blue?' Bernadette asked then, holding up the dress she'd found.

'Well, power of veto rests with the bride, but…have they got it in my size?'

'Sure, just not mine!'

'Hey guys,' Penny called just then, 'what do you think?' There was a collective intake of breath as Penny emerged. Her generally rather revealing style was transformed, as she stood before them, pulled in even more at her small waist and her already gravity defying bust swept up to new heights. The dress fell away in a silken waterfall to the floor, and she'd undone her ponytail to let her blonde tresses flow with it.

'Oh, wow, Penny you look beautiful!' squeaked Bernadette, with eager agreement from Emily.

Amy was speechless for a moment. 'Penny, you are no less than Venus incarnate,' she announced, not caring if her friend got the reference or not. She didn't.

'I'm not playing tennis!' The look in Amy's eyes, and the other girls' nods of approval, softened Penny though, and her smile warmed as she ran her fingers down the exquisite bodice.

Much later, after filming, and interviews, and trying on various others, and the bridesmaids' dresses, the girls returned to 4B, where Amy made Penny take her dress out again and lay it out on the bed. Penny agreed, but had to quickly make it first, and was more than ready for a glass of wine when she came back.

'So, Amy, you next, right?' Emily asked, a slightly naughty smile on her face.

Penny and Bernadette exchanged glances. Emily hadn't quite got what was going on with the Shamy relationship yet – in as much as anyone ever did, and hoped Amy wouldn't mind.

They needn't have worried. The cheerful mood that her Maid of Honour duties had put her in continued to light Amy's smile as she replied, 'Well, as Sheldon would say – it's a possibility!'

The girls squealed a little, and drew closer. 'So, Amy, what happened on Thursday?' Penny asked, with baited breath. Amy had, of course, sent them a run-down of all the salient points, but this was her first chance to go over it with them in detail, without any wedding distractions.

'Well, Sheldon asked me round, and we had dinner on the roof…'

'Oh that is so romantic!' gushed Emily. 'Dinner under the stars!'

'I know, right!' Amy continued, excitedly. 'And then we shot a laser off the moon!'

'Yeah, yeah, like when they did it when I was with Zach,' interrupted Penny impatiently. 'But what happened after? Are you still doing that 'waiting' thing?'

'You are, right?' Bernadette demanded. 'He did run off…' She'd always been the strictest when it came to Sheldon apologising for leaving town.

Amy took a quick sip of her wine. 'Yeah,' she replied. 'But I didn't know how hard it was going to get.'

'Sooo, did things get a bit…hot?' asked Penny, sipping her own.

'Well…' Amy wasn't sure how to answer that. What happened with the Emergency Kit probably wouldn't sound particularly hot, but it was. And she wasn't even going into what happened that night…

'Not exactly,' she stalled. 'Sheldon took me through his Emergency procedures.' Only Penny had an idea of what that meant.

'That's what Leonard had to do, right? When Sheldon made him sit outside the building looking like an extra from The Village People?'

'I…guess…but, anyway,' Amy managed, trying to change the subject. They couldn't understand how sexy it actually was. 'How do you think I ought to be when Sheldon's probation is up? You know, when he comes to the Symposium? How should I play it?'

The other women sat back at that, considering. 'Well…' Penny began, 'from what I've seen from Shelly-bean over the past couple months, he's got it bad. I say go for it!'

'Yeah…I guess he has been really sweet,' admitted Bernadette. 'I'd love all that stuff on the roof if Howie did it for me!'

'And he's even inspired Raj!' exclaimed Emily. 'He thinks I don't know, but he's been Googling hotels with a penthouse suite ever since!'

Amy still didn't look convinced. 'So, when you say 'Go for it', you mean sex, right?' she asked, with characteristic bluntness.

'Well, yeah!' insisted Penny.

'You don't have to do it all,' added Bernadette, putting her hand on Amy's arm, 'just what you're comfortable with.'

'But I don't know what we're comfortable with,' Amy continued. 'That's the problem.'

'Hey, listen,' Penny said. 'After Leonard came back from the North Sea, there was no stopping him. You aren't having sex, but your 'no kissing, no nothing' thing is kind of the same thing. And how was Howard after he came back from space?'

They looked towards Bernadette, who reddened as a wicked little grin lit her face. 'Once I got over my cold, like an even hornier sexy Buzz Lightyear!'

'Right,' continued Penny. 'So not getting any drives a man mad, even that man.' She inclined her head across the hall. 'And I think he's ready for more than you think.'


End file.
